Mobile Menu
HEADLINES

James Johnson

Western FA Rumors: Hayward, Gallinari, Clippers

June 30th, 2017 at 11:34am CST by Luke Adams

Jazz general manager Dennis Lindsey remains confident about his team’s chances to re-sign Gordon Hayward, George Hill, and Joe Ingles, writes Jody Genessy of The Deseret News. The team’s ability to bring back Hill and/or Ingles may be key to retaining Hayward.

Genessy reiterates (via Twitter) that Hayward really wants the Jazz to re-sign Hill, adding that his decision could hinge on that, while Sam Amick of USA Today notes (via Twitter) that Hayward and Ingles share an agent. Utah has been seeking a trade for a cheaper point guard to replace Hill, but may be hesitant to make such a move if it would make Hayward more likely to leave.

Here’s more on free agency from around the Western Conference, including another Hayward-related note:

  • Having previously said that he wouldn’t prioritize the Nuggets over any other suitor in free agency, Danilo Gallinari tells Italian outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport that his goal is to remain with Denver, and will have one of his first meetings with the Nuggets. Emiliano Carchia of Sportando provides the English translation on the quotes from Gallinari, who also acknowledged that he won’t receive a maximum salary contract.
  • The Clippers want to hang onto Blake Griffin in free agency, but it’s not clear whether the team is prepared to put a five-year, maximum salary offer on the table for him, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com.
  • Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times (Twitter link) identifies Jonathon Simmons, Rudy Gay, Danilo Gallinari, P.J. Tucker, James Johnson, Joe Ingles, and Andre Iguodala as additional free agents of interest for the Clippers.
  • The Gordon Hayward sweepstakes are creating a battle amidst the Ainge family, as Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com details. Tanner Ainge, the son of Celtics president Danny Ainge, is running for Congress in Utah and has pushed for Hayward to remain with the Jazz.
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Free Agent Rumors: Lowry, Paul, Teodosic, Pachulia, Heat

June 27th, 2017 at 5:00pm CST by Joshua Fischman

Michael Grange of Sportsnet spoke to NBA team sources, as well as longtime player agents, to delve into Kyle Lowry‘s free agency. Grange writes that “it is becoming increasingly evident that Lowry will take the opportunity to test the market.” He also adds that the Raptors are the only team that can guarantee a fifth year in a contract offer to Lowry and can pay more over four years than any other suitor. Grange finds a consensus among his sources that Lowry will not be receiving a max deal out in the market and that “his ceiling will top out at $30 million annually, although that would most likely be on a shorter deal.”

Here are some other relevant free agent rumors:

  • According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical (link via Twitter),  Chris Paul and his agents met with the Clippers on Tuesday and discussed the player’s future. Paul’s camp and Clippers officials will speak again soon.
  • Milos Teodosic announced that he will likely leave his Russian team and wishes to play in the NBA, via Novosti by way of Sportando: “I will not stay with CSKA Moscow almost for sure. But I don’t know yet where I will continue my career,” Teodosic said. “Going to the NBA is my wish but when I will know where, I will say that.”
  • Zaza Pachulia back with the Hawks? The reunion is an interesting idea that Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution floats, as the team has just one center at present (Miles Plumlee) and Pachulia is an unrestricted free agent and likely to move on from the Warriors. Furthermore, Vivlamore points out that Atlanta’s new GM Travis Schlenk knows Pachulia from his time with the Dubs.
  • Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald asks and answers key questions about the Heat‘s free agency. If Miami were to land Gordon Hayward or Blake Griffin, could they still keep James Johnson or Dion Waiters? Jackson says it would be difficult but not impossible. Click through for his detailed answer.
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Heat Notes: Leaf, Collins, Reed, Aldridge

June 22nd, 2017 at 4:21pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Heat will be looking for size with the 14th pick, especially if Luke Kennard and Donovan Mitchell are both off the board, according to Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. T.J. Leaf, who proved to be an effective outside shooter at UCLA, is a possibility, along with Gonzaga’s Zach Collins, who can also hit from 3-point range. Miami would like to find a stretch four to team with Hassan Whiteside, a traditional low-post center.

If Collins is off the board, Jackson says the Heat will look at Jarrett Allen of Texas and Justin Patton of Creighton. Both are 6’11” and are targeted for the back of the lottery or possibly later. A minor injury prevented Allen from working out for Miami, but he held an interview Sunday and reportedly impressed team officials. Patton did participate in a workout for the Heat on Sunday.

Jackson offers more insight into Miami’s strategy for tonight and beyond:

  • Drafting a backup center would protect the Heat in case Willie Reed leaves in free agency. The front office fears that Reed will get an offer significantly higher than the team is willing to pay.
  • Leaf could be a replacement for either Luke Babbitt or James Johnson, two forwards who are both headed for free agency.
  • Another big man to consider is John Collins of Wake Forest, who impressed the Heat in a workout last week. Miami will also look at Duke’s Harry Giles, but might be scared off by his history of knee problems. Giles canceled a workout in Miami and never rescheduled.
  • If the Heat decide to trade down, they will focus on UCLA center Ike Anigbogu and Kentucky power forward Bam Adebayo.
  • Miami is a possible destination if LaMarcus Aldridge wants out of San Antonio. The Spurs are seeking a top 10 draft pick and would like to cut salary to make a run at Chris Paul. Jackson says Miami could offer a competitive package of the 14th pick, Wayne Ellington, whose $6.27MM contract won’t be guaranteed until July 12th, Justise Winslow and Josh McRoberts.
Retweet 0 Share 0 Send via email0

Southeast Notes: J. Johnson, Heat, Hawks, Hornets

June 13th, 2017 at 5:09pm CST by Joshua Fischman

When James Johnson was asked about whether his affection for the Heat could translate into a team-friendly contract in free agency this offseason, the forward took a measured stance Sunday, reports Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Johnson reiterated his love the organization, while maintaining that a business decision must be made:

“I love this place so much and the opportunity they gave me. I couldn’t thank them enough. Down the line, it’s hard in this phase of my career to try to find somewhere that you call home or you want it to be home and things like that. So you know the love I have for this team is up there. But it’s just something I got to let the agent and Pat [Riley] discuss and try to figure out, and then just give my last say so at the end.”

Johnson enjoyed a career season in 2016/17, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, and 3.6 APG.

Here’s what else you should know from the Southeast division:

Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

East Notes: Ball, Knicks, Caldwell-Pope

June 4th, 2017 at 9:28pm CST by Austin Kent

Any NBA team considering drafting Lonzo Ball later this month will do so knowing full well that the UCLA product comes part and parcel with his boisterous father. One Sixers executive, special adviser Jerry Colangelo, thinks that Lavar Ball could make things “challenging”.

Colangelo spoke with CBS Sports radio (h/t Chase Hughes of CSN Mid-Atlantic) and discussed the point guard from the Sixers’ perspective. As critical as Colangelo was, however, he was sure to acknowledge Ball as a terrific prospect and said that teams wouldn’t likely bypass the player because of it.

Though it’s merely our speculation, the comments could be little more than a Sixers smokescreen, a common tactic in the weeks leading up to the draft. Philadelphia, of course, would benefit from the Lakers having second thoughts and opting against drafting the acclaimed prospect.

Just yesterday it was reported that Los Angeles was supposedly leaning against drafting Ball, with their interest in prospects Josh Jackson and De’Aaron Fox allegedly growing.

There’s more out of the East:

Retweet 6 Share 0 Send via email0

Heat Notes: Millsap, Griffin, Hayward, J. Johnson, Waiters

May 30th, 2017 at 7:44pm CST by Joshua Fischman

In another rousing edition of Ask Ira, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel discusses whether Pat Riley might pursue bigger names than Dion Waiters and James Johnson this offseason. In particular, might the Heat go after Paul Millsap and/or Gordon Hayward? Winderman concludes that, while he would not understate the likelihood of Riley and company engaging both Millsap and Hayward in free agency, the Heat may not have enough cap room to nab two elite free agents. If the team were to prioritize big-name free agents at the expense of Waiters and/or Johnson, it would likely raise its chances of signing a star player or two, but it may lose either or both of its key free agents from last season, depending on the timing of the decisions being made. Winderman also brings up the possibility, though a long shot, of augmenting Goran Dragic and Hassan Whiteside with “something far more potent.” Here are some more relevant team-specific notes:

  • In the same installment of Ask Ira, Winderman doubts Lauri Markkanen falling to the Heat at No. 14, but speculates that the team would pounce if he did. Winderman contends that his excellent outside shooting would fit a key need for the Heat and asserts that the Heat’s developmental program could adequately address the Arizona product’s defensive question marks.
  • Suns forward Jared Dudley sees the Heat as a Plan B for Blake Griffin in free agency this offseason, reports Ira Winderman. Dudley, Griffin’s former teammate with the Clippers, believes that Griffin’s top choice is to remain with the Clippers and that that is likely where he will end up. Miami is a “good city” in a place with no state tax and “the only case scenario” where Griffin will be able “to be the man on the team,” according to Dudley. Dudley made his comments on an ESPN podcast.
  • In a separate iteration of Ask Ira, Ira Winderman discusses Waiters’ proper pricing point, which he admits is “speculation” at this point. NBA insiders have told Winderman that Waiters’ hype may be exaggerated “considering the limited market last summer and the small sample size this past season due to injury.” Regardless, it takes just one suitor to set the market, and there is plenty of available cap space around the league.
Retweet 5 Share 0 Send via email0

Heat Notes: Wade, Bosh, J. Johnson, Draft

May 6th, 2017 at 7:39pm CST by Arthur Hill

Udonis Haslem and Tyler Johnson made a public appearance today to help Dwyane Wade sell sneakers, but they avoided questions about whether their former teammate might rejoin them with the Heat, writes Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Wade is considering whether to opt out of his $23.8MM contract with the Bulls for next season. If he does, many believe he will decide to return to Miami, where he spent his first 13 seasons. Haslem and Johnson have both been in touch with Wade since Chicago was eliminated from the playoffs last week. “He’s going to have to make the best decision for him,” Johnson said. “I know he wants to be in a situation where he’s playing for a team that’s kind of established. I don’t think he wants to go through a rebuilding process.”
There’s more news out of Miami:

  • The Heat are expected to petition the league office soon to have Chris Bosh‘s salary removed from their cap. Bosh was kept on the roster all season after failing a physical in training camp over blood clot problems that have plagued him for the past two seasons. Haslem tells Winderman in the same story that he has contacted Bosh but hasn’t discussed his NBA future. “Chris is one of those guys, when he puts his mind it, he can do anything,” Haslem said. “So he doesn’t lack opportunity. He’s going to have a lot of opportunity to do a lot of things. He’s a very well-rounded guy. And whatever he does, he’s going to be great at it.” If Bosh is able to play enough games for another team, his $52MM salary would be put back onto the Heat’s cap.
  • Free agent forward James Johnson may not be guaranteed a starting job if he
    re-signs with the Heat this summer, Winderman speculates in another piece. With Dion Waiters and Goran Dragic both starting, Johnson may give Miami too many
    players on the court at the same time who need to handle the ball. Also, Justise Winslow may claim one of the starting forward slots
    when he returns from injury.
  • Winderman examines who the Heat might take if they keep the No. 14 pick in the May 16th lottery. Players who have been linked to Miami in that spot include Duke’s Harry Giles, UCLA’s T.J.
    Leaf    , North Carolina’s Justin Jackson, California’s Ivan Rabb, Florida State’s Jonathan Isaac, Gonzaga’s Zach Collins, Indiana’s OG Anunoby, Duke’s Luke Kennard, Wake Forest’s John Collins and two overseas players, Terrence
    Ferguson     of Australia and Frank Ntilikina of France.
Retweet 3 Share 0 Send via email0

Heat Notes: J. Johnson, Waiters, Wade

May 4th, 2017 at 6:44pm CST by Joshua Fischman

James Johnson is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and teammate Tyler Johnson wants him back with the Heat, reports Anthony Chiang of the Palm Beach Post. Since last summer when James signed with the Heat, the pair have been inseparable.

While James has publicly made it clear that he wishes to remain with the Heat, Tyler, who himself is under contract for three more seasons, knows that anything can happen and ultimately wants the best for his close friend. James enjoyed a career season in 2016/2017, averaging 12.8 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 3.6 APG, while shooting 47.9% coming off the bench in all but five of the 79 games he played (27.4 MPG).

Here’s more on the Heat:

  • Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel contends that Dion Waiters is set to field contract offers big enough “to create pause when it comes to making the Heat salary-cap math work.” Winderman cites Waiters’ excellent final half of the 2016/2017 season as reason why he’ll be coveted in free agency, despite having drawn little interest a year ago.
  • Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald writes that a Dwyane Wade reunion with the Heat is a possibility. The Bulls front office has been noncommittal about whether it will look to trade Jimmy Butler, who was perhaps the biggest reason Wade signed with the Bulls in the first place. According to Jackson, while the Heat may lack the assets to appeal to the Bulls, Pat Riley will likely at least explore the possibility of a trade for Butler, if the Bulls are taking calls.
  • Furthermore, according to Jackson, a Wade associate has indicated that he would consider re-joining the Heat under the right conditions. The veteran guard hasn’t closed the door on accepting a bench role, and if Miami were to pursue him, it would likely be for a bench role — and at a reduced salary. Wade has yet to decide whether he will opt out of the final season of his contract with the Bulls.
Retweet 8 Share 0 Send via email0

Southeast Notes: Waiters, Johnson, Schroder

April 27th, 2017 at 8:24pm CST by Austin Kent

If the Heat are to retain James Johnson and Dion Waiters, it will likely be on short-term deals, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel writes in his weekly mailbag.

Both Johnson and Waiters saw their careers take off this season after years of bouncing around and each were instrumental in the Heat’s impressive push for an Eastern Conference playoff berth.

That said, while the pair seem to be a good fit with the Heat, the franchise will look to maintain flexibility by committing only to short-term deals. Eventually, Winderman writes, the club could explore signing them to a longer term deal when their Heat Bird Rights take effect.

Waiters averaged 15.8 points in 46 games for the Heat this season while Johnson added 12.8 points, 5.0 rebounds per game while providing a sense of toughness that fit the traditional Miami mold.

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

  • Although it’s easy to second guess decision in the NBA, Hawks owner Tony Ressler is careful not to when it comes to his own club’s contracts, Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes. “The NBA is all about second-guessing,” Ressler said. “[…] Listen at the end of the day I’m going to argue that if you look at our payroll this year, I think we did OK. We had a $98 million payroll. We won 43 games. We are in the middle of the playoffs. We are really competitive.“
  • Don’t expect Dion Waiters or James Johnson to give the Heat a discount during free agency, the Sun Sentinel’s Ira Winderman writes in a separate mailbag. Money, he says, always talks loudest when it comes to free agency.
  • In the postseason of his fourth campaign, Dennis Schroder is showing off just how dominant he can be. According to Hawks teammate Kent Bazemore, the 23-year-old’s playing style is eerily similar to that of Wizards guard (and current playoff opponent) John Wall‘s, Keely Diven of CSN Mid-Atlantic writes. “[He] is un-guarable regardless of if he’s making shots or not. He is one of the quickest guys in the league. He can get by anyone. He is a great finisher around the rim. He is growing, a young guard. He has a bright future ahead of him. Glad he’s my point guard. I would hate to guard that guy for 35 minutes.“
Retweet 4 Share 0 Send via email0

Heat Notes: J. Johnson, Waiters, Cap Space, Whiteside

April 23rd, 2017 at 10:15am CST by Arthur Hill

Using their cap space to keep their own free agents is a better option for the Heat than chasing Gordon Hayward or Blake Griffin, argues Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Miami will have about $37MM to spend this summer if it declines a $6.3MM option on Wayne Ellington. Issuing a max contract of more than $30MM would severely cut into that total and make it impossible for the team to re-sign James Johnson and Dion Waiters. The Heat may try to trade Josh McRoberts, who is expected to exercise a player option worth a little more than $6MM, but Winderman doesn’t expect them to find any takers. He recommends using that $37MM to keep Johnson, Waiters, Ellington and Willie Reed.

There’s more news out of Miami:

  • The Heat’s decisions this summer will shape their roster for the next few years, Winderman writes in a separate piece. If Johnson and Waiters both sign three- or four-year deals, they will join Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and Tyler Johnson, who are all under contract through 2019/20. Those three already take up $62.7MM of Miami’s cap room for 2018/19, when the cap is projected at $102MM. Even assuming team-friendly contracts for James Johnson and Waiters at a combined $28MM, the Heat would be at $90.7MM, without considering $5.2MM cap holds for Justise Winslow and Josh Richardson. Miami’s front office will have to decide soon if that core is worth locking up the salary cap for the next three seasons.
  • Despite recent comments from team president Pat Riley expressing loyalty to his players, the Heat would be willing to trade anyone on the roster, Winderman states in another column. The writer adds that Riley handled his press conference much better than Knicks president Phil Jackson did, but notes that if Dwyane Wade was allowed to leave last summer, then anyone is expendable.
  • After giving Whiteside a four-year, $98MM deal a year ago, the Heat want him to become a better low-post scorer, Winderman relays in another story. Whiteside continues to be among the league’s best rebounders and shot blockers, but the organization wants him to expand his offensive game and become a “championship” center. “Once you feed him that, he may be able to go there,” Riley said, “but you have to put him in that position. I think he has the ability to put up bigger numbers.”
Retweet 7 Share 0 Send via email0
Load More Posts