Joel Embiid Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Notes: Smith, Antetokounmpo, Embiid

September 20th, 2016 at 8:36pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Ish Smith, who inked a three year, $18MM deal with the Pistons this summer, believes that Detroit has a legitimate shot to win an NBA title, Keith Langlois of NBA.com relays. “I always ask people, ‘What wakes you up at night?’ For me, now it’s the pursuit of a championship,” Smith said. “That really is what the case is. It’s like, we’ve got a real chance to be champions. And I know that sounds crazy and people think, ‘Naaah. Yeah, you guys got better; not champions.’ But we’ve really got a real legit chance. And as long as we believe it, nobody else matters.”

The point guard noted that he was tempted to remain with the Sixers, but was swayed by coach/executive Stan Van Gundy’s sales pitch on the franchise, Langlois adds. “Through the whole process, I looked at all the teams pursuing me and Detroit just stood out to me,” Smith said. “For the simple fact we were all young, Coach wanted to play with pace, Coach wants tons of pick and rolls. All those things fit into the way I want to play. Defensively, he wants us to climb into people. Getting to the playoffs was a huge goal, so now we have to come – me, [fellow free agents] Jon Leuer, big Bobie (Boban Marjanovic) – and be that help and hopefully we take it to the next level.”

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Sixers coach Brett Brown confirmed that center Joel Embiid will be on a strict minutes restriction this season and isn’t likely to play on back-to-back nights, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays.
With his future in Milwaukee secure thanks to his new four-year, $100MM extension, Giannis Antetokounmpo noted that he never had any doubts about being with the Bucks for the long-term, Charles F. Gardner of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel relays. “I can’t imagine me being somewhere else,” Antetokounmpo said. “I don’t say this just for the media but from the bottom of my heart. I know after this five years, hopefully, we’ll be doing great, and I’ll be here five more years. As I said last summer, I want to be here for 20 years. I don’t like change, anyway.”
Antetokounmpo could have pushed for a maximum salary extension, but chose to leave some money on the table to help the Bucks maintain future flexibility, Dan Feldman of NBCSports.com writes. “There was a max number out there, and that was discussed, discussed internally and externally,” GM John Hammond said. “And the one thing we asked Giannis to do was take that into consideration as we move forward. Give us every opportunity. We want to become a championship-level team. There’s going to be guys and guys who have done that, players who have given back some. And it’s a little bit of the time, as we move forward, hopefully we’re going to have other guys with the organization willing to do that. Those small pieces can turn into a bigger chunk at some point.“
The crew over at Basketball Insiders weighed in with their predictions for the Hawks‘ 2016/17 campaign. The writers are divided in their opinions, pegging Atlanta to finish anywhere from first to third in the Southeast Division.

Atlantic Notes: Noah, Porzingis, Rose, Embiid

September 17th, 2016 at 9:46pm CST by Arthur Hill

Joakim Noah‘s intensity has already made an impression on at least one of his new teammates, relays Ian Begley of ESPN.com. At a youth camp today in Westchester, N.Y., Kristaps Porzingis told the story of his first meeting with Noah and the Knicks‘ new center’s dedication to the upcoming season. “That’s the type of guy that we want on our team,” Porzingis said. “He brings that good energy. He brings that spirit, you know? So from the first opportunity that we got to talk, I fell in love with [his intensity].” The addition of Noah should also limit the amount of time that Porzingis spends playing center, which many people believe will eventually become his primary position. Noah, who signed a four-year, $72MM deal with the Knicks in July, is hoping for a bounce-back year after being limited to 29 games last season because of an injured shoulder.

There’s more tonight from the Atlantic Division:

Porzingis also addressed Derrick Rose‘s “super team” comment from earlier this summer, writes Barbara Barker of Newsday. Porzingis says the statement was just a sign of confidence and he agrees with Rose that the Knicks have the talent to be very good. He added that Rose has looked impressive in pickup games. “He’s still got it. He’s still Derrick Rose,” Porzingis said. “I’m excited to play with him. He draws so much attention. When he’s driving, he’s so dangerous. I’m going to be wide open, and that’s what I’m looking forward to.”
The Sixers‘ crowded frontcourt means players are going to have to earn their minutes more than ever, and the way to do that is to adapt to coach Brett Brown’s new up-tempo approach, according to Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com. Brown is calling on players to get in “career-best shape” before reporting to training camp and said their roles will be determined by their ability to do that.
Joel Embiid may be cleared to play, but the Sixers will rely heavily on their medical staff to determine when and how often he takes the court, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid is expected to start the season with restricted minutes and probably won’t play on back-to-back nights.

Brett Brown On New-Look Sixers

September 16th, 2016 at 5:14pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers head coach Brett Brown has endured three life-sapping seasons since leaving his assistant post in San Antonio to steward over Philadelphia’s rebuilding efforts. Brown’s teams have lost 63, 64, and 72 games respectively the last three campaigns as the team purposely bottomed-out under former GM Sam Hinkie in an effort to retool via the NBA draft lottery. While no one realistically expects the Sixers to suddenly make the playoffs this season, the franchise has been active in the free agent market for the first time during Brown’s tenure and the team should make strides toward respectability in 2016/17.

Brown spoke with members of the media on Thursday regarding a number of subjects, including his revitalized enthusiasm resulting from the team’s positive offseason, Mike Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer relays. “Given our experience together, from where we were to where we are now, how can we all not feel a breath of fresh air, a new bounce, a higher level of hope and an excitement that together we haven’t experienced for awhile?” Brown said.

The coach noted that there are numerous reasons for him to be optimistic, including the highly anticipated debut of former lottery pick Joel Embiid, who sat out his first two NBA campaigns following foot surgeries, the addition of No. 1 overall pick Ben Simmons and the arrival of 2014 draftee Dario Saric from overseas, Narducci notes. Brown did acknowledge that Embiid’s health is a wild card, telling reporters, “He will play and everybody understands there will be parameters, restrictions.” The coach noted that what those restrictions will be should be determined during the preseason.

The frontcourt rotation remains a bit of a mystery, with Brown acknowledging that the pairing of Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor last season wasn’t a successful one, Narducci relays. Brown did offer high praise for Noel, telling reporters, “Nerlens has elite gifts. He is athletic, quick off the floor, and as quick to the rim as anybody I have coached, as any big man in the league.” The coach refused to indulge any speculation as to which of the big men, if any, are likely to be dealt this season. “I will coach them until they are not [here],” Brown said.

The Sixers should also benefit greatly from the free agent additions of veterans Jerryd Bayless, Gerald Henderson, and Sergio Rodriguez, Brown told the media. The coach is especially excited about Philly upgrading the point guard position, Narducci adds. “If the season started today, you give Jerryd Bayless the ball and go from there,” Brown said. “I feel there will be times you will see Ben Simmons with the ball as the traditional point guard.” Brown also noted that shooting guard Nik Stauskas, who averaged 8.5 points in his first season with the Sixers, worked hard in the weight room this offseason and should benefit from that.

Do you think Brown has a reason to be optimistic at the Sixers’ chances this season? Which addition to the roster are you most excited about? Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions.

Sixers Notes: Hinkie, Noel, Okafor, Embiid

September 14th, 2016 at 6:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Former Sixers GM Sam Hinkie will take at least a year away from basketball to teach at Stanford, he tweeted today. Hinkie, who resigned from the team in April, sent out a series of tweets discussing his present and future. He called this a “gap year,” but didn’t speculate on whether he hopes to return to the NBA (Twitter link). Hinkie, who spent three years in Philadelphia’s front office, refused to comment further on the tweets when contacted by Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. However, a Deadspin report suggests the former GM will be a guest speaker for one or more Stanford classes, rather than actually becoming a faculty member.

There’s more Sixers news this evening:

Nerlens Noel is the most likely player to be traded to ease the logjam in the Sixers’ frontcourt, writes Bob Cooney of The Philadelphia Inquirer. In a series of predictions for the upcoming season, Cooney says it’s a close call between Noel and center Jahlil Okafor, but he suggests that Noel will be sent elsewhere before the trading deadline in February. Cooney also predicts that a minutes restriction on Joel Embiid will last until about Christmas, that rookie Ben Simmons will start right away and lead the team in minutes played, that Dario Saric will need time to adjust to the NBA but will claim a greater role as the season wears on and that Philadelphia will win 27 games, up 10 from a year ago.
The Sixers should consider trading both Noel and Okafor, according to Zach Harper of CBSSports.com. Harper suggests Philadelphia could get a nice return for Noel right now and then deal Okafor next spring or summer to a team that gets disappointed in the draft lottery. If Embiid’s health holds up, Harper states that he and Simmons could be the building blocks of a contender. The writer lists the Celtics, Pelicans, Timberwolves and Rockets as possible destinations for Noel, and the Lakers as the best option for Okafor.

Latest On Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel

September 7th, 2016 at 3:49pm CST by Luke Adams

Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel were involved in several trade rumors around the time of this year’s draft and into the early part of the free agent period, but there hasn’t been much trade chatter surrounding either player lately. Still, that doesn’t mean the Sixers are entirely comfortable moving forward with both players as long-term pieces.

According to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, Philadelphia doesn’t believe that the talents of Okafor and Noel are complementary, and still intends to eventually move one of the two players. The Sixers have had “periodic” trade discussions involving the pair this summer, Wojnarowski reports.

With so many teams already having an idea of what their training camp rosters will look like, a deal at this part of the year may be difficult for the Sixers to pull off if they hope to get decent value back. Although GM Bryan Colangelo admitted in July that he’s not entirely comfortable heading into the regular season with Okafor, Noel, and Joel Embiid still on the roster, a move at the deadline is probably more likely.

Whether the Sixers explore a deal within the next few weeks or closer to the deadline, Noel’s contract situation will be an interesting factor in trade discussions. The former sixth overall pick is eligible for restricted free agency next summer, so whichever team holds his rights at the end of the 2016/17 season will have an inside track on locking him up long-term.

The decision to trade Okafor or Noel may also hinge on how third-year center Embiid looks this season. Despite having been with the team since 2014, Embiid has yet to make his NBA debut, but he recently said he feels 100%, and he’s expected to suit up for the Sixers this fall. A healthy and productive Embiid would make frontcourt minutes even harder to come by in Philadelphia, and might motivate the team to make a move involving Noel or Okafor sooner rather than later.

Earlier today, the 76ers added even more backcourt depth by re-signing veteran big man Elton Brand to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract.

Joel Embiid Declares Himself Healthy

August 27th, 2016 at 5:19pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Joel Embiid is ready to get on the court for the Sixers and the big man is optimistic about his progress, as he tells Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I feel 100 percent and ready to get started, my summer has been great,” said Embiid, who was making his first public remarks on his health. “We have been working on a lot this summer, and I got a chance to play a little bit against the guys, and it has been going great.”

The center admits that there will still be some restrictions once he sees the court for the first time in his young NBA career. “Yes, probably, I think the decision will probably be about that I haven’t played in two years. It won’t be because people are worried that I am going to reinjure myself, which I don’t think is going to happen, but it will be about the fact I haven’t played in two years and take it slow,” he added.

Coach Brett Brown recently said that he expects Embiid to be ready to play in the preseason. “Physically, mentally, recent medical scans, everything is pointing in the right direction. We’re just very excited,” Brown said last week.

The former No. 3 overall pick missed his first two seasons with Philadelphia because of a foot injury, which required him to have multiple surgeries. He was cleared to play five-on-five basketball back in June.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Brown, Johnson

August 21st, 2016 at 12:54pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Sixers coach Brett Brown expects Joel Embiid to be ready to play in the preseason, as he tells Zach Lowe of ESPN.com on his podcast (h/t to Rob Tornoe of the Philadelphia Inquirer). “Physically, mentally, recent medical scans, everything is pointing in the right direction. We’re just very excited,” Brown said. Embiid has yet to play in a game since being drafted with the No. 3 pick in the 2014 NBA draft.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Brown feels the Sixers are in a good place as a franchise right now, as he discusses on that same podcast. “There’s a real feel good mentality right now in our city. I think everybody’s starting to get excited,” Brown said. “Obviously, this is just one more phase, one more wave on how we build our program. But we have such fantastic young, talented pieces to try to put that puzzle together. Everybody’s excited here in Philadelphia.”
Amir Johnson has established himself as a good defender and if he reaches his ceiling on the defensive end, he could end up making an All-NBA defensive team, A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast Sportsnet argues. Johnson, who signed a two-year, $24MM deal with the Celtics last summer, will be a free agent after the 2016/17 season.

And-Ones: Krzyzewski, Griffin, Simmons, Patterson

August 20th, 2016 at 10:00pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mike Krzyzewski desperately wants to win his final game as coach of Team USA, writes Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. Krzyzewski demonstrated he is putting victory over player egos by pulling DeMarcus Cousins from the starting lineup in Friday’s semifinal against Spain and inserting defensive specialist DeAndre Jordan. Voisin also suggests that the closeness of many of this year’s game displays the need for a different philosophy in picking players. Krzyzewski, whose team will face Serbia in Sunday’s gold medal game, has an 82-1 record and two gold medals since taking over as Team USA coach in 2005. Spurs coach Gregg Popovich will assume control of the team after the Olympics are done.

There’s more tonight from around the world of basketball:

Former D-League All-Star Eric Griffin, who will reportedly play in Israel next season, has a buyout clause that allows him to sign with an NBA team, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Griffin was recently cleared of an attempted murder charge in Florida, and his agent contends the case cost him a chance to play in the summer league.
Ben Simmons is the rookie most likely to make an impact in the NBA from the beginning, writes Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders. Blancarte picks the No. 1 draft choice because of his combination of court vision, size, athleticism and opportunity. Simmons is expected to take control of the Sixers’ offense right away. Others on Blancarte’s list, in order, are the Timberwolves‘ Kris Dunn, the Sixers‘ Joel Embiid and Dario Saric and the Pelicans‘ Buddy Hield.
After being claimed off waivers by the Kings, one of Lamar Patterson’s concerns was whether he could bring his pet alligator, according to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. His mother had been watching the creature while he played for the Hawks because he couldn’t keep it as a pet in Georgia. Jones found that California only allows pet gators if a special permit is obtained.

Eastern Notes: Novak, Embiid, Bullock

August 15th, 2016 at 11:51am CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite receiving interest from a few other teams, unrestricted free agent forward Steve Novak is still hoping that the Bucks will re-sign him, Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times writes. “There have been a few teams that we’ve talked to; you always got to keep your doors open,’’ Novak’s agent, Mark Bartelstein said. “But we’re still talking with the Bucks and, hopefully, we’ll make a deal with them. Steve would love to stay in Milwaukee. It’s a very special place for him.’’

Bucks co-owner Jamie Dinan had indicated back in May that he would like to re-sign Novak. Milwaukee currently has 13 players under contract, as Roster Resource shows, so there is room for the veteran shooter if the team does indeed want him back. Novak only appeared in three games with Milwaukee after signing with the team in February before a sprained left MCL prematurely ended his season.

Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Sixers center Joel Embiid remains one of the games more intriguing talents despite not having played in a game that counts in over two years, Derek Bodner of Philadelphia magazine writes. If he can remain healthy and maximize his potential, Embiid has the talent to change not just Philadelphia’s fortunes, but how the game is played in the NBA as well, Bodner opines.
While no formal talks have been held, the Pistons are considering a contract extension for Reggie Bullock prior to the October 31st deadline, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press relays. One concern regarding any extension with the swingman is the team’s proximity to the luxury tax line, a threshold that owner Tom Gores is willing to cross if it helps the team take the next step forward, Ellis adds. “Look, if we weren’t building a core, there’s really no point in paying the luxury tax,” Gores said. “Because we are building a core, would I do it? Yeah, absolutely. So you say go into the luxury tax for nothing, then that would be silly because then we’re putting the franchise behind. But given that we have such a good core, if that’s what it took, and we feel we’ve made such progress this year, I wouldn’t hesitate to do it because we want to keep getting better.”

Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Lin, Embiid

July 23rd, 2016 at 9:47pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics have put major trade talks on hold after today’s flurry of signings, according to Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. So far, the quest to obtain Russell Westbrook or Blake Griffin has made little progress, with the Thunder and Clippers wanting more than Boston is willing to surrender. Instead, the Celtics wrapped up a few smaller moves today, agreeing to terms with free agent swingman Gerald Green and center Tyler Zeller, in addition to deals with second-round picks Demetrius Jackson and Ben Bentil. The Celtics now have 18 players under contract, three over the roster limit. Bulpett expects Bentil to battle in training camp with R.J. Hunter, James Young and John Holland for the last roster spot, with Hunter as the early favorite. That would mean the end in Boston for Young, a 2014 first-round pick whose $1,825,200 salary might be included in any Celtics trade.

There’s more news from the Atlantic Division:

A source confirms, “There is no big deal right now” for the Celtics, tweets Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.
New Nets point guard Jeremy Lin moved around the league so much because he has yet to find the “perfect” situation, relays Steve Serby of The New York Post. Lin recently signed a three-year deal with Brooklyn, which will be the sixth franchise for the six-year veteran. “And because I’ve been in situations I didn’t want to be in,” Lin explained, “I’ve created and negotiated in terms of free agency a lot of shorter deals that give me the flexibility to leave if I’m not happy with the way things are going.” In a wide-ranging interview, Lin expresses excitement about the future of the Nets and the chance to once again play for new head coach Kenny Atkinson, who tutored Lin when he was an assistant with the Knicks.
Defeating Justin Bieber in an arm-wrestling match may not prove that the Sixers‘ Joel Embiid is ready for the NBA, but that was just part of an active weekend in Los Angeles, writes Rob Tornoe of The Philadelphia Inquirer. More significant was a video of Embiid working out on the court that was posted online this morning by his trainer, Drew Hanlen. Embiid, who sat out his first two NBA seasons with injuries, was cleared for five-on-five play last month.