Joel Embiid Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Atlantic Notes: Teletovic, Embiid, Ledo

April 17th, 2015 at 7:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Nets forward Mirza Teletovic has been cleared to resume basketball activities and he could return during Brooklyn’s first-round playoff series against Atlanta, Andy Vasquez of NorthJersey.com relays. The 29-year-old has been out of action since January, and has been receiving treatment for multiple blood clots in his lungs. “The doctors … they know what’s best for me,” Teletovic said. “And the coaches are there, they know what’s best for them and for the team, and they’re going to decide. It’s not up to me. They’re going to look at it and see. And then probably decide if I’ll play or not play, but for now I’m just happy to be back.”

Teletovic is in the final year of his contract, making slightly more than $3.368MM, and he said in the fall that he planned to listen to offers from the Nets as well as others after the season. Brooklyn can make him a restricted free agent if they extend a qualifying offer worth $4,210,125.

Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:

Sixers coach Brett Brown hasn’t been enamored with injured rookie Joel Embiid‘s work ethic this season, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “There were times that I wasn’t happy,” Brown said. “And you know it’s been well-documented. I tell my guys, you want me to coach you. You want to show up on time. You want to do the right thing. You want to act the right way.”
Ricky Ledo is hoping that he can remain in the NBA next season, and that he can change the perception around the league that he is a troubled player, Tim Casey of USA Today writes. The Knicks had inked Ledo to a deal that covered the remainder of this season after his second 10-day contract with the team ended. In 12 appearances for the Knicks Ledo averaged 7.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 19.4 minutes per game.
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge when discussing what he termed the league’s “transcendent players” mentioned Stephen Curry, James Harden, Anthony Davis, Chris Paul, Russell Westbrook, and LeBron James, Ben Rohrbach of WEEI 93.7 FM notes (Twitter links). Omitted from Ainge’s list was his former player Rajon Rondo. When asked, Ainge said he never thought Rondo would reach that level of excellence, Rohrbach adds. Rondo will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and some around the league have doubts that the veteran is worth a max contract, which Rondo is likely to be seeking this summer.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Celtics, Clark

March 27th, 2015 at 5:30pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Sixers draftee Joel Embiid‘s weight is finally getting down into the range that the team is comfortable with, which pleases coach Brett Brown, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “He’s ticking boxes in regards to increased time on the court and reduced weight,” Brown said of the rookie center. “His weight is going down. His needle is clearly pointing in the right direction. And you heard me say this a lot lately, he’s setting the stage for a great summer. He sees his reward will be summer league, trying to get ready to actually play again.”

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal takes a look at how Kentucky junior Willie Cauley-Stein would fit with the Knicks. Herring posits that New York could look to select the big man if they fall out of the top three picks in the draft lottery.
Celtics team president Danny Ainge believes that he’ll learn a lot about the makeup of his players whether or not Boston secures a playoff spot this season, Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com writes. “I’m not really hanging on [making the playoffs]. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to evaluate and Brad [Stevens] to evaluate what we’re made of, who can step it up, players that can play meaningful minutes,” Ainge said. “And our young guys can learn through this, you don’t judge them from one game to the next, but see how our guys react and bounce back from difficult losses and bad performances. So far our guys have passed the test. So I’m excited about the next ten games, like you said. We do control our own destiny. We have a tough schedule ahead of us still and I’m excited about that.“
Earl Clark, who inked a 10-day deal with the Nets today, says that he’s surprised to be with the team, Rod Boone of Newsday tweets. Clark says that he was at home working out when his agent called and told him to pack for Brooklyn, Boone adds.

Atlantic Notes: Nets Sale, Wiggins, Embiid

March 11th, 2015 at 10:58am CST by Chuck Myron

Amar’e Stoudemire‘s $2.5MM buyout from the Knicks only represented a net loss of $2,014,330 for him, since it was offset by his prorated minimum salary deal with the Mavs, but it was a savings of $6.25MM for the Knicks, as Marc Berman of the New York Post points out. The $2.5MM that Stoudemire gave up, an amount that Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders first reported, as we noted last month, would have entailed an extra $3.75MM in luxury taxes had the big man remained under contract. Still, Stoudemire collected a total of more than $97.2MM in salary from the Knicks over the course of his five-year contract, and New York is in line to pay at least some tax for a third straight year, meaning the team will incur repeat-offender penalties if it goes over the tax next season. Here’s more from the Atlantic:

Sources told Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders that they suspected the sale of the Nets was to have been based off a $1 billion price for the Hawks, but those same sources believe the Atlanta franchise will go for around $900MM instead, as Kyler relays (Twitter links). Multiple sports bankers had believed the Nets would sell for as much as $2 billion, as they told Josh Kosman and Claire Atkinson of the New York Post earlier this month, but that price point never materialized, Kyler hears (Twitter link). Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov appears to be backing away from the idea of a sale.
There are whispers that Andrew Wiggins would love to play for the Raptors, but he’s under contract through 2018 and would have to take discount salaries if he wants to play in his native Canada anytime this decade, writes Eric Koreen of the National Post. In any case, the talent pool in Canada has grown enough such that GM Masai Ujiri need not dig deep to fulfill his promise of bringing a domestic talent onto the Raptors, making the GM’s pledge “harmless,” Koreen believes. Still, a majority of Hoops Rumors readers believe that Ujiri shouldn’t concern himself with a player’s nationality.
The “minor setback” that Joel Embiid has suffered as he continues to recover from a broken right foot bears watching, but it’s not worth an overreaction, Sixers coach Brett Brown told reporters, including Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The franchise still believes that Embiid is capable of becoming its cornerstone if he can get healthy, Pompey writes.

And-Ones: Kerr, Jones, Embiid, Wade

March 9th, 2015 at 10:49pm CST by Charlie Adams

Steve Kerr still has a small ownership stake in the Suns, notes Diamond Leung of the Bay Area News Group (via Twitter). Kerr was required by the NBA to sell his investment in Phoenix after he became the coach of the Warriors, but he’s been unable to complete the divestiture to this point. Here are more miscellaneous notes from around the league..

The NBA fined Dahntay Jones $10K for bumping into Draymond Green during a postgame interview after the Warriors’ victory over the Clippers on Sunday, as Greg Beacham of The Associated Press details.
Joel Embiid suffered a “minor setback” in his recovery from the broken right foot that’s kept him from debuting in the NBA this season, reports Tom Moore of Calkins Media (on Twitter). While a report in January indicated Embiid could potentially play this season, Brett Brown cast doubt on the possibility of such a scenario late last month.
Dwyane Wade expressed disappointment in Hassan Whiteside‘s lack of maturity following a Heat loss in which Whiteside was ejected after committing a flagrant-two on Kelly Olynyk, observes Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post (Twitter link). “Very [disappointed],” said Wade. “We all are. As a Heat fan you are. In this locker room we are. Everybody.” Whiteside, who’s put up impressive numbers with Miami, is signed through the 2015/16 season on a minimum salary deal.
John Zitzler of Basketball Insiders looks back at the path that led Khris Middleton to the Bucks and explores the unexpected value he’s been able to provide to Milwuakee. The 23-year-old swingman is poised to hit restricted free agency this summer.

Eastern Notes: Crowder, Anthony, Beasley

February 28th, 2015 at 8:58am CST by Eddie Scarito

Celtics swingman Jae Crowder‘s stock has risen, fallen and risen again following his inclusion in the Rajon Rondo trade, as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com examines. The 24-year-old’s contract is up at season’s end, but Forsberg suggests it’s likely the Celtics will tender the qualifying offer worth more than $1.181MM necessary to match offers for him this summer.

Here’s more from out of the Eastern Conference:

There are many around the league who question Carmelo Anthony‘s decision to play 30 minutes in the NBA All-Star game after missing significant time for the Knicks while nursing his injured knee, Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders writes. Chauncey Billups, ‘Melo’s former teammate, was vocal in his disappointment with Anthony’s choice, Beer adds. “If you are hurt and you know you are going to shut it down, just get the surgery and make that commitment that the Knicks made to him and just get better and not worry about playing for the fans and the All-Star Game,” Billups said. “I thought it was poor judgment but to each his own.”
Billups also believes that Anthony needs a strong leader to help guide him in New York, Beer relays. “My perception of him [is] he really needed my guidance, he needed my leadership,” Billups said. “I don’t know that he quite knew how to lead a team or a franchise, but at that time he was young. I can’t expect him to. He was already a great player, but he is best served when he doesn’t have to be the leader of the team.”
Michael Beasley was not re-signed by the Heat last summer due to concerns with his defense, consistency and maturity, but Chris Bosh’s season-ending injury changed Miami’s thinking regarding the player, Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald writes.
Sixers coach Brett Brown, when providing a status update for injured rookie Joel Embiid, said, “It would be misleading to say anything that’s promising about him playing this year,” Tom Moore of Calkins Media tweets.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Sixers Notes: McGee, Carter-Williams, Hinkie

February 20th, 2015 at 9:01pm CST by Eddie Scarito

The Sixers haven’t decided on what the future holds for newly acquired big man JaVale McGee, Tom Moore of Calkins Media writes (Twitter link). Speaking about McGee, GM Sam Hinkie said, “We’ll see what happens. He may have a fresh start here but he was moved in large part because of the pick.” Philadelphia received the Thunder’s 2015 first-round draft pick in the trade.

Here’s more out of Philadelphia:

Hinkie indicated that the Sixers had not been actively looking to deal Michael Carter-Williams, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. “The only way we would ever move him was if someone blew us away … and something came along,” Hinkie said. The the Sixers garnered the Lakers’ top-5 protected 2015 first round pick in the deal for MCW.
The Sixers’ personnel strategy is focused on having options, Pompey writes in a separate article. When asked if he cared more about acquiring assets than developing players, Hinkie said, “I believe a lot in optionality – a lot. I believe a lot in flexible. I believe a lot in making a decision as late as you possibly can to gain as much information as you can.”
The GM spoke further on the decision to deal Carter-Williams, saying, “He only left here because there was a way to move our program forward,” Hinkie said. “Not for any other reason, and he did nothing wrong. It is possible for two things to be really valuable, both Michael and something else,” Pompey relays.
Hinkie has proven once again that he’ll trade any player if a team meets his asking price, Moore writes in a separate piece. If the Sixers didn’t believe Carter-Williams was a player who they could build around, the trade was a smart move, Moore opines. But the team continually dealing younger players away for future picks is just delaying the rebuilding process even further, Moore adds.
The Sixers’ front office needs for Joel Embiid to develop into a very good player and a number of their acquired draft picks to turn into stars, Rich Hofmann of The Philadelphia Daily News writes. After the last two seasons of perceived tanking, the Sixers’ fan base will turn on the team if Hinkie’s rebuilding plan fails, Hofmann adds.

Draft Rumors: Okafor, Wolves, Knicks, Sixers

February 5th, 2015 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Every team with which Chad Ford of ESPN.com has spoken has Jahlil Okafor atop its draft board, as Ford writes in an Insider-only piece, and that includes the Timberwolves, who have the pole position for the No. 1 overall pick, as our Reverse Standings show. That’s even despite the presence of Gorgui Dieng, whom Ford says the team is high on, and Nikola Pekovic, who’s making about $12MM each season through 2017/18. The ESPN.com draft guru runs down how Okafor would fit with each of the teams in line for a lottery pick, and he tosses in some noteworthy rumors as he does so. We’ll hit the highlights here:

The Knicks like Emmanuel Mudiay, Karl-Anthony Towns and D’Angelo Russell in addition to Okafor, Ford writes, adding that the Jazz are Russell fans, too.
Philadelphia would draft Okafor in spite of the presence of Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, Ford hears. The Sixers aren’t sold that either Noel or Embiid will become an elite player, Ford also hears, as he writes in his chat with readers.
Mudiay is No. 2 behind Okafor as far as the Lakers are concerned, but it’s not close, as Ford says he’s been told.
The Magic won’t hesitate to draft Okafor and believe he has the superstar potential that their other players don’t, Ford hears.
Al Horford would “love to move to power forward,” Ford writes, suggesting that the Hawks, who have the rights to take Brooklyn’s pick, would grab Okafor if given the chance.
Ford speculates that the Pistons are the team in line for a lottery pick that’s least likely to draft Okafor, believing he’d be a poor fit alongside Andre Drummond.

Eastern Notes: Alexander, Seraphin, Harris

January 21st, 2015 at 6:22pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Joe Alexander has been labeled as a bust after lasting just two seasons in the league following his selection by the Bucks with the No. 8 overall pick in the 2008 NBA draft, something that doesn’t sit too well with the player, David Pick of Basketball Insiders writes. “I don’t think there is a hard definition of what a ‘draft bust’ is,” Alexander told Pick. “Ultimately not being in the NBA is on me, but as far as ‘who is a bust?’ you have to look at Milwaukee and the management that drafted me. If you want to label anyone with the term ‘bust’ — it’s the Bucks. When Milwaukee drafted me, I was touted as a ‘project’ and someone with a lot of potential who could contribute had I learned to play the game. That’s what the Bucks told me. I needed time. I didn’t start playing basketball until I was 16 years old, but I was the most athletic guy in the entire draft. The Bucks knew that. Everyone understood this. I could’ve been drafted by any other team in the league and they would’ve given me time to develop.”

While injuries definitely affected Alexander’s NBA career, he firmly believes that he was also the victim of a dysfunctional regime in Milwaukee, Pick adds. “I had a normal, mediocre NBA rookie season,” Alexander said. “If you look at my per-36 numbers, I was on par with every player in the draft except for Derrick Rose. There are players in the league who a few years ago played spotty minutes and made mistakes, but were able to learn from them. That’s an opportunity I wasn’t given in Milwaukee.”

Here’s more from the East:

Kevin Seraphin is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer, but the big man would like to re-sign with the Wizards, Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders writes. “I’ve been here for five years,” Seraphin said. “For sure. For sure I’d like to be here long term, a very long time. Especially now that our team is good. Why wouldn’t I want to be here?”
Sixers coach Brett Brown hasn’t completely ruled out injured rookie Joel Embiid playing this season, Tom Moore of Calkins Media tweets. But Brown did add that there would be no chance of Embiid returning to the court prior to the All-Star break, Moore adds.
The Cavaliers have recalled Joe Harris from the Canton Charge, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced. This was Harris’ first trip of the year to Canton.

Eastern Notes: Pistons, Embiid, Millsap

January 19th, 2015 at 2:30pm CST by Chuck Myron

Pistons coach/executive Stan Van Gundy has shown no hesitation to make major moves, as Josh Smith‘s release made clear, and Van Gundy also pulled off a trade last month, swapping Tony Mitchell for Anthony Tolliver. The Lakers have apparently inquired about Greg Monroe and Brandon Jennings and the Pistons are reportedly shopping Luigi Datome, but Van Gundy doesn’t sound like he wants to make a move with the team having won 11 of its past 13.

“I’m really, really happy with the guys we have here right now,” Van Gundy said. “I’m really, really happy with our culture and how guys are working. We’ve got the right things going for our future.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference as the Pistons clash with the first-place Hawks, who’ve won 12 in a row:

It’s believed that the Sixers would be content with 2014 No. 3 overall pick Joel Embiid missing the entire season, just as Nerlens Noel did last year after he went sixth overall, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Some inside the Sixers organization question Embiid’s work ethic, and the former Kansas big man has clashed with a member of the Sixers’ training staff, Pompey hears. A source tells Pompey that Embiid’s weight has ballooned to 300 pounds, but Embiid denied that to Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com.
Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today imply that there’s mutual interest in a new deal this summer between the Hawks and soon-to-be free agent Paul Millsap. Atlanta was eyeing a longer deal than the two-year pact Millsap signed in 2013, but the power forward who turns 30 next month, wanted to engineer a shot at another payday not long into the future, Zillgitt hears (Twitter link).
A trade that would have sent Lance Stephenson to the Nets appeared close last week until the Nets grew skittish about him, but the Brooklyn native isn’t anxious to leave the Hornets, notes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. “I want to be here,” Stephenson said. “I feel I can definitely help this squad… It’s really not up to me.”
Laurene Powell Jobs, the widow of former Apple CEO Steve Jobs, has been “sniffing around” the idea of making a run at purchasing the Nets, sources tell Robert Windrem of NetsDaily. She was part of a group that came up short in pursuit of the Clippers, as the NetsDaily scribe notes.

Eastern Notes: Love, Kirk, George, Sixers

November 24th, 2014 at 7:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Cavaliers are confident Kevin Love will be in Cleveland for the long run, but rival GMs aren’t so sure, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Berger notes that when the Heat formed their “Big Three” four years ago, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh all signed six-year deals that contained opt-outs after four. But under the new CBA, there’s a disincentive for a player to accept an extension before becoming an unrestricted free agent. Love has a $16.7MM player option for next season. There’s more on the Cavs amid the latest from the Eastern Conference:

The Cavs are actively seeking immediate help in the frontcourt, tweets Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. Cleveland would love to pry Timofey Mozgov from the Nuggets, but so far those efforts have been fruitless.
Cleveland made a roster move Monday, recalling center Alex Kirk from the D-League’s Canton Charge, the Cavs announced. Kirk has played two games for the Cavaliers this season and three games for the Charge.
The Pacers have begun to lose hope that Paul George‘s broken leg will heal in time for him to play this season, a source tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, who writes amid his weekly power rankings.
A source suggested to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that the Sixers would probably trade one of their existing big men if they had a chance to draft top prospect Jahlil Okafor this summer. A “bidding war” for Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel would ensue if the Sixers wind up with the No. 1 pick this year, writes Sam Smith of Bulls.com. Smith has nonetheless heard opposing GMs say they’re reluctant to trade for any Sixers because of the losing environment those players have been a part of.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.