Odds & Ends: Heat, Jazz, Bulls, NBPA, Collins
The potential expiring contracts for the Heat's Big Three will be a major topic of conversation throughout the 2013/14 season, but LeBron James and Dwyane Wade both downplayed the subject at Media Day in Miami today.
"You have concern when you feel people want to go elsewhere," Wade said, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel (via Twitter). "I don't think nobody is looking to go elsewhere."
Here's more from around the NBA:
- Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey confirmed that the team is still in talks with Derrick Favors and Gordon Hayward about possible rookie-scale extensions, tweets Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune.
- In talking to reporters, including Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, about why he decided to sign with the Bulls, Mike Dunleavy Jr. pointed to the team's "high character."
- Dahntay Jones is ready to compete in training camp for a spot on the Bulls' regular-season roster, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune details.
- Former Illinois guard Brandon Paul, who went undrafted in June, explains to Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside why he's heading overseas rather than to NBA training camp. According to Paul, he received and passed on camp invites from the Wolves, Nets, Blazers, and Heat.
- After previously having tackled ten of the best contracts of the offseason, Mark Deeks of HoopsWorld shifts his focus and identifies ten of the worst contracts, including the Bobcats' signing of Al Jefferson, and the Pistons' deal with Josh Smith.
- The NBA Players Association is aiming to have a new executive director in place by the 2014 All-Star break, sources tell Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein tweets that Jason Collins continues to work out "a ton" as he attempts to stay in shape in the hopes that an NBA team will show interest in signing him once the season gets underway.
- Evaluating the Kings' signing of DeMarcus Cousins to a max extension, Daniel Leroux of RealGM.com gives the team a grade of D+ and the player a grade of A.
Eastern Rumors: LeBron, Cavs, Beasley, McGrady
The Eastern Conference figures to be more competitive this time around, with Derrick Rose back to boost the Bulls, an improved Pacers squad, and the best team money can buy for the Nets all around to challenge the Heat. Still, the majority of Hoops Rumors readers who voted in yesterday's poll think the East will once more field the league's worst team, picking the Sixers to finish last. Here's the latest from the conference that has produced the last two champions and the last two teams to finish with the league's worst record:
- The Cavaliers surely wouldn't mind it if LeBron James has a change of heart and wants to rejoin the wine-and-gold next summer, but the team isn't counting on him coming back to Cleveland, as Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer writes in her weekly mailbag column. Boyer also says she believes the Cavs are looking for another big man and a backup point guard, and she doesn't think a poor season for the team will mean the ouster of GM Chris Grant.
- Mark Deeks of ShamSports confirms that Michael Beasley's minimum-salary contract with the Heat is essentially a training camp invitation, with no guaranteed money (Twitter link).
- Tracy McGrady reveals to Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star that he wishes he never left the Raptors for Orlando in 2000, and he feels like the heavy minutes he played for the Magic took a toll on his body, which broke down long before most others do.
- We rounded up news on Atlantic Division teams earlier today.
Odds & Ends: Pistons, LeBron, Anderson
A panel of HoopsWorld columnists discussed their thoughts on the Pistons' offseason additions, current strengths and weaknesses, and where the team projects to finish in the Central Division standings this year. Count Brandon Jennings among those who seem most eager to get the season started, as he believes that with Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe, and Josh Smith, Detroit should be a dominant rebounding force on both sides of the court (Detroit Free Press staff report). Here's the rest of tonight's noteworthy links:
- Ken Berger of CBS Sports believes that with so many variables to consider, there's no way that even LeBron James knows what he's going to do on July 1st next year, when he'll have the ability to exercise his early-termination option and hit unrestricted free agency.
- Jeff Goodman of ESPN (via Twitter) doesn't think it's a guarantee that UCLA's Kyle Anderson will declare for the draft after this year, especially since he's not considered a lock to get selected in the first round at this point.
- Jeff Caplan of NBA.com gives the Trail Blazers a "B" for their offseason report card, highlighting their coaching staff and frontcourt as the team's strongest suits and identifying defense as their weakest one. In another a piece, Ben Golliver of BlazersEdge.com relays Damian Lillard's interview with True Hoop TV's Henry Abbott about his workload and expectations defensively.
- Dan McCarney of Spurs Nation wades through the changes and holdovers of the Northwest Division and touches upon what to expect from each team in 2013/14.
- Moke Hamilton of HoopsWorld held his weekly chat with fans, answering questions about Seattle, the Knicks, how Danny Granger's return from injury could affect Paul George, and the Pelicans' playoff chances among other topics.
Lakers Notes: Landry, Bryant, James, Jackson
Let's round up the latest from the always-busy rumor mill in Los Angeles:
- Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register tweets that he expects the Lakers to sign Marcus Landry, younger brother of Carl Landry, in the near future. Ding also adds that Landry, if signed, would have a good shot to make the team. This sounds very similar to several reports we heard in late July regarding Landry and the Lakers, but no official deal was reached. Landry last appeared in 18 games in the 2009/10 season with the Knicks and Celtics. He has since bounced between the D-League and Europe, and played with the Reno Bighorns of the D-League last season.
- With second-rounder Ryan Kelly not expected to be ready for camp, Ding tweets that three of Landry, Xavier Henry, Shawne Williams and Elias Harris could make the Lakers' roster. A chunk of Harris' deal is guaranteed, making him a good bet for a roster spot, but there’s been no confirmation of any guarantee for Henry, Williams or Landry, assuming he is signed.
- It is hard to consider Kobe Bryant's looming presence on the Lakers as anything but a negative recruiting tool when it comes to near-future premiere free agents, writes Andy Kamenetzky of Land O'Lakers, who agrees with the notion that LeBron James, or any of the league's other elite players, would be hesitant to join Bryant in Los Angeles.
- Jim Buss and his father, the late Jerry Buss, knew that the Lakers couldn't keep the expensive team they showcased last year together past the 2012/13 season, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, who says this sentiment made it difficult for the team to secure Phil Jackson as coach. Ownership knew they had to rebuild soon, Shelburne says, largely due to the extreme luxury tax situation they would face this season. Because of this, the Lakers didn't feel right giving Jackson a two-year pact knowing the second year would be a transition year, she adds (Twitter links here).
LeBron Hopes To Table Contract Talk For Season
With LeBron James less than 10 months away from potentially becoming a free agent, it's fair to assume he'll receive plenty of questions about his future from the media this season. However, LeBron doesn't intend to discuss his contract situation throughout the year, according to ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst. Windhorst writes that the four-time MVP plans to address it briefly on the first day of camp, then table the subject until after the season.
James, a few years removed from "The Decision," has been much more reserved when it comes to discussing his future this time around. According to Windhorst, LeBron even hopes to squash free agency talk within his inner circle.
"All LeBron is thinking about is winning a third straight title," said agent Rich Paul of Klutch Sports. "He has no interest in talking about next season and everyone around him knows it."
As we heard earlier today, the 28-year-old intends to focus solely on the Heat's success on the court this season, as the team attempts to win its third straight title. He has yet to make any decisions about next summer, and that's fine with Heat president Pat Riley.
"I don't know LeBron's stance," Riley said. "He'll probably say one time, 'I'll talk about it next year.' We haven't discussed it yet, but we will. I'll tell him the main thing is to make sure the main thing remains the main thing. And the main thing is to win the championship."
When next July does roll around, there's no guarantee that James will even opt out of his current contract, which doesn't expire until 2016. LeBron will have an early termination option next summer, and a player option the following summer, which means he could choose to opt out either year. But even if he does elect free agency, he wouldn't necessarily be committing to leaving Miami, since he'd have the option of negotiating a new long-term deal with the Heat.
Of course, just because LeBron doesn't want to discuss his contract situation until after the season, that doesn't mean we won't hear plenty of rumors and speculation over the next several months. For now though, it seems that the Heat superstar won't be fueling the rumor mill with any quotes of his own.
Eastern Notes: LeBron, Hawks, Heat, Sixers
With his free agency potentially less than a year away, LeBron James continues to brush off questions about his future. Most recently, it was ESPN.com's Chris Broussard who asked the Heat superstar about his plans for the summer of 2014.
"I have absolutely no idea," James said. "I would love to spend the rest of my career in Miami with this great team and great organization as we continue to compete for championships. That's ideal. But we don't know what may happen from now to the end of the season. That's the nature of the business. It's the nature of not knowing what tomorrow brings."
As the reigning MVP continues to focus on the coming season, let's check out a few more notes from around the Eastern Conference:
- Former Texas-San Antonio guard Chris Allen will work out for the Hawks today, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter).
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel believes 2012 second-rounder Justin Hamilton is more likely to start the 2013/14 season with the Heat's D-League affiliate in Sioux Falls, rather than with the NBA club.
- Sixers second-round pick Arsalan Kazemi may be headed to Iran for the coming season, tweets Mark Porcaro of Secret Rival. That news isn't confirmed yet, and wasn't included in the daily update of our international player movement tracker, but we did hear earlier this summer that the Oregon product was expected to play overseas in 2013/14.
Kyler’s Latest: Pelicans, Knicks, Heat
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld continues to examine potential trade situations for various NBA teams, today focusing on the Pelicans, Knicks, and Heat. Let's check out Kyler's NBA AM piece and round up a few of the highlights….
- The Pelicans' lack of a "bruising inside player" could be cause for concern, according to Kyler, who says that the team may look into acquiring a true center if Anthony Davis struggles in his minutes at the five.
- J.R. Smith's health will be one of the big questions for the Knicks this season, as the reigning Sixth Man of the Year recovers from knee surgery. If he's unable to return to 100% health, or has any setbacks, New York could target a replacement via trade, though the club likely wouldn't get aggressive until close to the deadline.
- Those close to the situation in Miami say the Heat should be more wary of the summer of 2015 than 2014, according to Kyler. LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh each essentially have player options in each of the next two offseasons, so any or all of the Big Three could opt out in either '14 or '15.
- Kyler views Bosh and Wade as good bets to play out their current contracts, since neither player is likely to receive a raise in free agency. LeBron could obviously land a bigger long-term deal if he opts out, but he's unlikely to leave Miami while Wade and Bosh are still healthy and productive, says Kyler.
- The Heat have several expiring contracts that could be used to faciliate deals at the 2014 trade deadline, if necessary, and Kyler notes that the team essentially has zero guaranteed money committed for 2014/15, meaning Miami could be in position to add even more talent. I'm not sure how realistic that is though — if we assume Bosh, Wade, Udonis Haslem, and Joel Anthony all opt in, and the Heat pick up Norris Cole's option, that takes team salary for '14/15 up over $51MM, and that's not even counting LeBron.
Poll: Who’d Make The Best NBPA President?
We learned tonight that Chris Paul will replace Derek Fisher as the president of the NBA Players Association. It is no secret that Paul is exceptionally popular among the NBA's players and fans, as Sean Deveney of Sporting News writes in his story about Paul's new position. Deveney also notes that the point guard has been involved in the union since he was a rookie, which allows him to utilize star power and knowledge in a position and union that desperately need both.
Since rumors of LeBron James eyeing the position surfaced in late July, the idea of a league star as the union front man has been universally advocated after more than a decade without one. But is that advocacy on point? And if so, is CP3 the man to prove it? There are a lot of new faces in new roles this year, from commissioner to NBPA president, so this selection could have legitimate ramifications. Let us know what you think, and feel free to elaborate in the comments section.
Odds & Ends: James, Bowen, Kidd, Lin, Wright
After tonight's announcement from the NBA Player's Association, we can officially shut the door on any talk that LeBron James should assume the union's head position. What we don't know about James, however, are his intentions after the upcoming season, when he can opt out of his current deal with the Heat. James kept quiet about his plans on an interview that aired on the new Fox Sports 1 on Tuesday night, writes HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy, who expects James to keep his options open.
Here are some other news and notes from around the league:
- The Kings have named Ryan Bowen as an assistant coach and assistant director of player development, the team announced today in a press release. Bowen spent the past two seasons as an assistant with the Nuggets, where he spent two stints as a player. He also played in Houston, New Orleans and Oklahoma City in his NBA playing career.
- Jason Kidd is ready to make the transition from player to coach with the Nets, writes Fran Blinebury of NBA.com, who lists Tom Heinsohn, Billy Cunningham and Larry Bird among those who have walked a similar path with success.
- Speaking at a youth conference in Taiwan, Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin said he put too much pressure on himself in his first year in Houston and it resulted in his coaches losing faith in him, according to an ESPN news release. Lin will need to rediscover his confidence quickly considering the expectations in Houston this season.
- Dorell Wright says his trust in Blazers general manager Neil Olshey was a big factor in his agreement to sign with Portland, writes Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune. Wright said he envisions himself as a bench player, and that he expects the Blazers to vie for a playoff spot.
Odds & Ends: Union, Lucas, Draft, Brown
With the offseason winding down, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld identified who the real contenders will be in 2013/14. The back-to-back champion Heat top the list with some of the other usual suspects, including the Spurs and Thunder. The Bulls should be vaulted back into contention with the long-awaited return of Derrick Rose. The Clippers are a bona fide contender after re-signing Chris Paul, landing Doc Rivers as coach, and adding J.J. Redick. The Nets, who now boast the most expensive roster in the NBA by far, hope to be among the league's elite with first-time coach Jason Kidd at the helm. And of course, the Rockets will be one of the most intriguing teams to keep an eye on after luring Dwight Howard away from L.A. Here's more from around the Association..
- NBPA executive committee member Jerry Stackhouse told Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that LeBron James' comments about the union felt like a "kick in the stomach". "I don't think he's had any dialogue with anybody since the All-Star break, but it is what it is," Stackhouse said. "To make that statement about where we are as a union right now, he was misinformed."
- Point guard John Lucas III was a safe choice for the Jazz, in the sense that he won't threaten Trey Burke or expect to be the main one-guard for the long-term. However, Utah believes they have more than a capable stop-gap and more than a positive locker room influence in the veteran, writes Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) runs down the 2014 NBA Draft and notes that its remarkable depth could make it the best ever. Ford's latest big board has Andrew Wiggins at the top, followed by Kentucky's Julius Randle, Australian Dante Exum, Duke's Jabari Parker, and Oklahoma State's Marcus Smart.
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News gives his immediate and long-term outlook for the league's 13 new coaches. The list starts with the latest hire, 76ers coach Brett Brown.
- Jordan Hill's summer assignment is to become the stretch four that the Lakers need, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Hill missed 53 games last year, mostly because of back and hip trouble.