Jazz To Retain DeMarre Carroll, Jamaal Tinsley
8:48pm: The Jazz will pick up its option on Tinsley, Smith confirms (Twitter link).
7:33pm: Smith tweets that the Jazz will pick up Tinsley's option, while Kennedy says via Twitter that the situation is now uncertain despite the team having told Tinsley earlier today that they would decline the option. The two sides will speak tonight, according to Kennedy.
7:29pm: The Jazz will retain forward DeMarre Carroll, tweets Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune, while HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy tweets that the Jazz will turn down its $1.35MM option on point guard Jamaal Tinsley. Smith refers to the Carroll move as the team picking up an option, but Carroll's contract was actually non-guaranteed for next season. In any case, the Jazz will have Carroll at the minimum $885,120 for 2012/13.
Northwest Rumors: Harden, Mohammed, Jazz
Thunder coach Scott Brooks will sit down with the team in the next few days to discuss his return, as we heard earlier. Though a dozen Thunder players already have guaranteed contracts for next season, re-signing the coach isn't the only item on GM Sam Presti's offseason agenda. There are possible extensions to negotiate with James Harden and Serge Ibaka, and the team must decide what it wants to do with backup center Nazr Mohammed, who fell out of the rotation in the playoffs and is now an unrestricted free agent. Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor has plenty of work to do as well, and we have news about both teams.
Sorensen On Jazz’ Options At Point Guard
Mike Sorensen of the Deseret News has a new column exploring the options the Utah Jazz will have at point guard this offseason. Here are the key points regarding how Utah might address this roster spot:
- Out the four point guards from their 2011/12 roster, Blake Ahearn is more likely than Devin Harris, Earl Watson, or Jamaal Tinsley to not return to the team next year.
- Though the Jazz may look to get younger at point guard through the draft or free agency, management has been pleased with the performance of Harris, who has one season left on his contract.
- Tinsley expressed interest in returning to Utah. The Jazz hold a $1.3MM team option on his contract for the 2012/13 season.
- Sorensen mentions Steve Nash and Andre Miller as options for the Jazz to pursue in free agency, but cautions that their age prevents them from being long-term solutions.
Jazz Rumors: Howard, Tinsley, Jefferson, Miles
Following the team's four-game sweep at the hands of the Spurs, members of the Jazz have been conducting exit interviews with local media. Already we've heard that Raja Bell doesn't expect to return to Utah next season. Here are a few other highlights from today's session, courtesy of Brian T. Smith of the Salt Lake Tribune (all links via Twitter):
- General manager Kevin O'Connor has no plans to "blow up" the roster, but will attempt to make improvements and additions. The GM also says the team is open to bringing back Josh Howard and Jamaal Tinsley.
- Coach Tyrone Corbin says the Jazz may add key pieces during the offseason, but he's prepared to move forward with a roster similar to this year's.
- Al Jefferson isn't looking ahead to his contract situation, but would like to finish his career in Utah if possible.
- Jefferson says Corbin has done a good job communicating with the team, but not all of his teammates agree. According to C.J. Miles, communication between the staff and players was much better under Jerry Sloan, and Miles never knew what was expected of him this season.
- Miles is a free agent this summer and it sounds like he'll be signing elsewhere. He says he wanted things to work in Utah, but that the team didn't treat him right. The 25-year-old added that the team was put off by Jefferson saying before Game Four that he couldn't see anyone beating the Spurs.
- Devin Harris acknowledged that communication between Corbin and the team was an issue at times, but says he thinks the coach is figuring it out and will improve.
- After his strong second half, Harris is "excited" to enter a contract year.
- DeMarre Carroll appears very likely to return to the Jazz next season.
Spurs, Jazz, Timberwolves Discussing Trade
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports that the Spurs, Jazz, and Timberwolves are in talks that would see Josh Howard go to San Antonio, C.J. Miles and Jamaal Tinsley to Minnesota, and Wayne Ellington along with Danny Green to Utah.
He also writes that while no deal is imminent, talks are ongoing and it is likely that draft picks and more players are added to the deal.
Decisions On Non-Guaranteed Contracts
February 10th marks the day that all players on non-guaranteed contracts will have their deals guaranteed for the remainder of the season. However, if a team wants to meet that Friday deadline, it will need to make its decisions today, allowing its player(s) to pass through waivers in time.
Some non-guaranteed players, such as DeJuan Blair and Jeremy Lin, are in no danger of being waived. However, with a few dozen players on non-guaranteed deals across the league, there will be plenty of cuts before the day is out. Some of those players will sign 10-day contracts shortly after being cut, while others could join the D-League or find a place on our list of current unrestricted free agents.
We'll track all the day's decisions on non-guaranteed contracts right here, with the latest news up top:
- Other players who will have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the year: Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jerry Stackhouse (Hawks), Cory Higgins (Bobcats), Brian Scalabrine, John Lucas (Bulls), Samardo Samuels, Alonzo Gee (Cavaliers), Sean Williams (Mavericks), Julyan Stone (Nuggets), Vernon Macklin, Damien Wilkins (Pistons), Dominic McGuire, Chris Wright (Warriors), Sundiata Gaines, Keith Bogans (Nets), Steve Novak, Jerome Jordan (Knicks), Ryan Reid (Thunder), DeAndre Liggins (Magic), Lavoy Allen, Francisco Elson (Sixers), Danny Green, Gary Neal (Spurs), Jeremy Evans (Jazz).
- The Jazz will guarantee Jamaal Tinsley's contract, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter).
- The Pistons are keeping guard Walker Russell, agent Giovanni Funicello told HoopsHype (via Twitter).
- The Hornets have waived DaJuan Summers and Carldell Johnson, league sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
- The Rockets waived Jeff Adrien, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The move clears a roster spot for Greg Smith.
- The Wizards have waived Hamady N'Diaye, according to a team release.
- Chris Johnson received a call from Trail Blazers GM Chad Buchanan this morning saying his contract would be guaranteed, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- The Celtics will hang on to Greg Stiemsma and guarantee his deal, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- The Lakers have waived Derrick Caracter. Caracter broke the news himself, tweeting "It's over before it begun!!! …. On to the next chapter of my life" (Twitter links). The Lakers will hang on to Devin Ebanks, Andrew Goudelock, and Darius Morris, tweets Mike Breshnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
- The Clippers have cut Solomon Jones, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
- The Heat have waived Mickell Gladness, the team announced (Twitter link). Miami's other two players on non-guaranteed deals, Eddy Curry and Terrel Harris, look safe, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- The Grizzlies have waived Josh Davis, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
- The Spurs announced they've waived Malcolm Thomas, who was assigned to the team's D-League affiliate last week.
Zach Links contributed to this post.