And-Ones: Deng, Novak, Rockets, Bazemore
Erik Spoelstra joined Pat Riley to meet with Luol Deng in Chicago today, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Heat are said to have interest in Deng, but they might not be willing to take on the reported $12MM annual price tag for the forward. Here’s more from around the NBA:
- Raptors GM Masai Ujiri has indicated that second round pick DeAndre Daniels will be stashed in Europe for a year to get some much-needed playing time, writes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
- The Thunder are bringing aboard Darko Rajakovic as an assistant coach, the team announced via press release. Rajakovic has spent the past two seasons as the head coach of the Tulsa 66ers, OKC’s D-League affiliate.
- Steve Novak will bring some much needed shooting to the Jazz, writes Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune. Novak is a career 43.9% shooter from 3-point range over eight seasons, almost exactly the same figure as Kyle Korver. The money owed to him over the next two years (about $7.5MM) was enough to make the Raptors want to dump his salary, but it wasn’t prohibitive for Utah.
- Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow extended a two-year, €3MM offer to free agent guard Nando De Colo, tweets David Pick of Eurobasket.com. That figure translates into roughly $4.08MM.
- Put the Rockets on the growing list of teams interested in Kent Bazemore, says Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (on Twitter).
- Ike Diogu has signed with Dongguan in China on a deal that allows him to jump ship to the NBA anytime between now and August 15th, tweets Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
- A rumored agreement between Andres Nocioni and Real Madrid is not a done deal, according to Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype (on Twitter). The forward is still receiving interest from NBA teams (link).
Charlie Adams contributed to this post.
Free Agent Rumors: Bosh, LeBron, ‘Melo
So far today we’ve heard that Devin Harris struck a deal to remain in Dallas, while the Bucks are trying to find a way to pry one of Eric Bledsoe or Greivis Vasquez away from their respective clubs. Let’s have a look at even more happenings around the free agency front:
- Chris Bosh is the key to keeping the Big Three together in Miami, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Unfortunately for the Heat, there are rumblings around the league that Bosh might actually prefer to take a max-salary contract elsewhere rather than stay in Miami for a discount.
- At this point, some teams actually believe LeBron James is more likely to leave the Heat than Carmelo Anthony is to depart from the Knicks, passes along Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- A source tells K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that the Bulls would hope to engage the Lakers in sign-and-trade possibilities should they get a verbal commitment from Pau Gasol. The Bulls would dangle the expiring $16.8MM contract of Carlos Boozer and likely would have to include sweeteners, possibly in the form of draft picks.
- If ‘Melo re-signs with the Knicks, expect Phil Jackson to make a run at trading for Kevin Love, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. Still, Wolfson doesn’t see a good match between the Wolves and Knicks.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Knicks Will Not Take Boozer In Sign-And-Trade?
JULY 5th: While some have been skeptical that the Knicks would go for Boozer in a sign-and-trade, new team president Phil Jackson would have to consider it, and a person with knowledge of the situation said it’s expected that he would, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
JULY 1st: The Bulls might want to work out a sign-and-trade deal with the Knicks for Carmelo Anthony, but they won’t be able to do it with Carlos Boozer, writes Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. Chicago would probably want to include Boozer, who has been mentioned as an amnesty candidate, in such a deal, but the Knicks aren’t interested in the veteran forward.
Of course, this is all somewhat premature since the Bulls have yet to reach out to New York about an S&T scenario. Still, it stands to reason that the Knicks would want to get something in return for Melo if he skips town.
Boozer is set to earn $16.8MM this season and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf is probably less than thrilled about the prospect of paying him for nothing. However, if he’s willing to go through with the amnesty clause, Broussard lays out some possibilities for the Bulls if they get Anthony to agree to sign. If the Bulls dump Boozer and trade away Mike Dunleavy for nothing, could start a four-year deal for Anthony at $15MM in the first year. If they moved Jimmy Butler as well, they could start Melo off at $17MM. Of course, that’s still less than the $22.4 million the Knicks can offer him next season.
Bulls Plan To Amnesty Carlos Boozer?
10:33pm: The Bulls told Boozer it’s a possibility he will be amnestied or used in a sign-and-trade but have made no final decisions, sources tell Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
10:00pm: Carlos Boozer may have played his last game in a Bulls uniform. A source tells Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times that Boozer’s departure is a “done deal” and says that the forward’s camp has been informed of the decision.
Under the amnesty provision, Boozer still will be paid the $16.8MM he’s due next season, but it won’t count against the salary cap. The Bulls, of course, would have preferred to use Boozer’s expiring contract in a sign-and-trade scenario but they haven’t found any suitable offers. The Bulls obviously don’t want to pay Boozer for nothing, but they want to reallocate that space for something better, even if it’s not Carmelo Anthony.
As we learned last night, even if they’re able to convince Melo to come to Chicago, the Knicks have zero interest in taking on Boozer in an S&T deal. Even though others in the Knicks’ front office were warmer to the idea since Boozer’s contract could be used in a mid-season deal for someone like Kevin Love, Phil Jackson didn’t want to entertain the idea.
Of course, nothing has officially happened with Boozer just yet. The amnesty window runs from July 10th through the 16th.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
Lawrence’s Latest: Boozer, ‘Melo, Grizzlies
There’s genuine fear within the Bulls’ front office that owner Jerry Reinsdorf will refuse to use the amnesty provision on Carlos Boozer this summer, passes along Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News. Chicago will have a hard time creating the cap room necessary to pursue marquee names if they don’t find a way to get Boozer off the books. Here’s more from Lawrence:
- Carmelo Anthony would be interested in teaming up with LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, says Lawrence, but the Lakers are unlikely to have the cap space to bring in both superstars.
- It sounds as if the Rockets‘ pursuit of ‘Melo is unlikely to result in a success. “The only reason Carmelo will go to Houston to listen (to the Rockets) is because of Kevin McHale,” a source told Lawrence. “If the coach wasn’t a top-50, all-time player or was a lesser-name coach, then ‘Melo wouldn’t even visit there. But he’ll listen because it’s Kevin McHale.“
- The Grizzlies are interested in bringing aboard former Knicks president Glen Grunwald to come in and serve under Chris Wallace for two years before taking over the reins as GM, Lawrence writes. That echoes an earlier report from Ken Berger of CBSSports.com but appears to add an expiration date for Wallace’s time in charge of the front office.
- One league source told Lawrence that he wasn’t sure if Bruno Caboclo was even worth a second-round selection. The Raptors selected Caboclo with the 20th pick in the draft, and Lawrence writes that it’s virtually impossible to find a GM who agrees with their decision.
- Utah’s decision to draft Dante Exum isn’t surprising since the the Jazz aren’t sold on Trey Burke as a franchise point guard, reveals Lawrence.
- Dirk Nowitzki won’t even consider signing with a team other than the Mavs this summer, Lawrence confirms.
Central Notes: Bucks, Boozer, Price, Pacers
The Bucks are drawing “strong” interest from a variety of local investors, writes Don Walker of the Journal Sentinel. Milwaukee ownership would reportedly like to add as many as 10 investors, says Walker, who identifies several parties that might be interested in purchasing a minority stake in the club. Here’s more from around the Central:
- It’s no secret the Bulls would like to add Carmelo Anthony to their already potent roster this summer, and in order to increase financial flexibility, KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reveals (on Twitter) that the Bulls would prefer not to bring aboard two rookie scale contracts in the draft. Chicago would also prefer to unload Carlos Boozer‘s expensive contract in a sign-and-trade, tweets Johnson.
- Terry Pluto of The Plain Dealer says that Mark Price could still be considered a candidate for the Cavs coaching job, albeit not as one of the top-three names at the moment. Cleveland is seeking a coach who excels working with point guards, a focus that opened the door for Price, adds Pluto.
- Adi Joseph of USA Today takes a look at the draft needs facing the Pacers and Bulls. Both clubs need help offensively and would be well-advised to select a player who can score in bunches, opines Joseph.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.
Central Rumors: Cavs, Draft, Bulls, ‘Melo, Bucks
Chad Ford of ESPN.com heard conflicting reports about Cleveland’s plans for the No. 1 overall pick on the night of the lottery, and the confusion appears to persist. One source tells Ford for his latest Insider-only piece that Cleveland has already let Andrew Wiggins know that he’s in the lead to become the top pick, while another says the Cavs have narrowed their choices to Jabari Parker and Joel Embiid. The Bucks, meanwhile, don’t have Wiggins in their top two, Ford believes, but there’s plenty of time for that to change, as well. Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Ford clarifies that Tellem and the Cavs are confident not just that they’ll be able to arrange a meeting between Embiid and the team, but that they’ll work out a deal that will allow Cleveland to put Embiid through a physical exam (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- People close to the Bulls maintain doubt that owner Jerry Reinsdorf would allow the team to couple an amnesty of Carlos Boozer, which would still require Reinsdorf to pay him, with a max contract for Carmelo Anthony, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. That jibes with an earlier report that the Bulls will look to trade Boozer before amnestying him.
- The Cavs and agent Arn Tellem are in discussions, but both sides believe they’ll come to an agreement that will allow the team a look at Embiid, as Ford writes in the same piece. Presumably, that means Cleveland is likely to get a chance to have its doctors check out Embiid’s troublesome back, but Ford doesn’t specify just what Tellem would allow, so perhaps that’s still a matter of negotiation.
- Even if they don’t get a chance to check him out medically, there’s a chance the Cavs will have access to that sort of information from other teams, as Kyler also writes in his piece. Kyler hears that clubs will often share such intel to prevent agents from wielding too much control.
- That’s probably one reason why the Bucks are confident they’ll enter draft night with all the knowledge they’ll need, as Kyler writes, noting that sources tell him the Bucks expect to meet with and work out each of the top prospects.
Bulls Rumors: Thibodeau, Boozer, Marion
A source tells Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report that Tom Thibodeau would only be interested in leaving the Bulls to coach the Knicks, which would be his “dream job,” as Bucher details in a video. Here’s more from Chicago:
- In an interview with Jarred W. Payton of The Game 87.7 FM, Taj Gibson refuted a report that the Bulls have informed him of plans to move away from Carlos Boozer next season. “I’ve not been told that I’m starting next season,” Gibson said. Gibson said that he’s unaware of any discussions about amnestying Boozer.
- However, Gibson spoke with Jay Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times as if he had been told to prepare for a starting role. ‘‘I mean, this will be exciting,’’ Gibson said. “This is what I’ve always thought about. When I started [six games] for Boozer when he was hurt during the [regular] season, I just know how excited I was, how good it felt to come to the arena.” It seems that Gibson was likely informed of his role as first reported, but is trying to avoid being used to verify the fate of a teammate, although that’s just speculation on my part.
- In the same article, Cowley speculates that the Bulls could target Shawn Marion to bolster their shooting, should they fail to land a bigger target this offseason.
- Cowley thinks Adreian Payne would be an ideal fit for the Bulls to select at No. 16 or 19 in this year’s draft.
Eastern Notes: Celtics, Boozer, Del Negro
Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes that the Celtics may be better off enduring another year of rebuilding instead of turning in their best assets for a blockbuster acquisition like Kevin Love. Here’s the rest of the night’s notes from Boston and the rest of the Eastern Conference:
- NBA GMs see Rajon Rondo among the league’s best when he has his A game, but they’re concerned about his personality and consistency, reports Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald, who examines the leaguewide perception of the players on the Celtics roster. One GM is wary of trading for Jeff Green, believing agent David Falk will convince him to opt out if he has a productive season, and the Celtics and other teams noticed the dedication Brandon Bass showed in an otherwise lost season for Boston, Bulpett hears.
- The Bulls coaching staff told Taj Gibson to prepare to become a starter next season, sources indicated to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, who suggests it’s further evidence that Carlos Boozer has played his last game for the team.
- The Cavs will soon schedule head coaching interviews with Alvin Gentry, Adrian Griffin, Vinny Del Negro, and other candidates, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Gentry and Griffin were known to be strong candidates, but this is the first report verifying Del Negro’s candidacy.
- New Bucks owners Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens are taking the reigns in Milwaukee following the draft lottery, telling Charles F. Gardner of The Journal Sentinel they will soon start meeting with front office and coaching personnel, whose future with the team is still up in the air. “I think right now we just want to spend time with everybody,” Lasry said. “Then we’ll have more of an understanding.” Head coach Larry Drew and GM John Hammond both have multiple years left on their contracts, but haven’t been assured of staying with the team.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Bulls Notes: Rose, Boozer, Offseason
Tom Thibodeau said that Derrick Rose has begun taking contact in practice, reports Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Thibodeau noted that there is no doubt that Rose will return to his old form. According to the article, Thibodeau said, “It was good. He’s right on schedule. So this is the next phase now. The rehab part went well. The non-contact stuff went well. So now this is the next step which is good.” The Bulls are optimistic that Rose will be able to participate in Team USA’s training camp this summer in advance of the World Cup of Basketball in Spain, per Friedell.
More from the windy city:
- It was rumored earlier that the Bulls would likely attempt to trade Carlos Boozer this summer. Boozer weighed in, saying, “I would love to be back in a Bulls uniform. We have a team that I don’t feel has reached our potential, mostly due to injuries,” tweets K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune.
- Johnson also notes that Boozer told him that Bulls management said that they haven’t decided on his future, and they lauded him for his professionalism while dealing with reduced playing time (Twitter link).
- In a separate article, Johnson examines Boozer’s future more in depth.
- The team will only look to re-sign one of either D.J. Augustin or Kirk Hinrich, writes Johnson. Both players are unrestricted free agents.
- The Associated Press looks at Rose’s recovery progress, the Bulls’ offseason ahead, and what roster moves the team might make.