Royal Ivey

Eastern Notes: Rondo, Heat, Ivey, Magic

The Western Conference looks like it’ll be wide open this season, as the results from last night’s poll show. However, the same can’t be said for the Eastern Conference. Online sportsbook Bovada.lv gives the Heat even odds to come out of the East in 2014 for the fourth straight year. As we look forward to Miami getting its title defense underway, let’s round up a few notes from around the conference….

  • While the Celtics finally got the rebuilding process underway this summer by dealing Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry to the Nets, Rajon Rondo isn’t looking for an escape route of his own, as he tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. “This is my team; why would I want to leave?” Rondo said. “Why would I want out? I’ve never really backed away from a challenge.”
  • Asked about the possibility of Eric Griffin earning a spot on the Heat‘s regular-season roster, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel echoes something we heard from Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald yesterday, predicting that Michael Beasley and Roger Mason Jr. will grab the last two openings.
  • Royal Ivey‘s short-term goal involves landing a roster spot with the Hawks, but he hopes to transition into coaching in the not-too-distant future, writes Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
    “I see a couple more years and then I want to do other ventures,” Ivey said. “I think I have a chance to coach and I’m definitely going to take heed to that.”
  • 14 NBA teams currently have one-on-one relationships with their D-League affiliates, and the Magic are hoping to become No. 15, writes Don Coble at Jacksonville.com. Magic CEO Alex Martins tells Coble that the team has “made it clear” to the NBA that it would like to set up a D-League squad in Jacksonville, rather than share the Fort Wayne Mad Ants with five other NBA clubs.

Royal Ivey To Join Hawks For Camp

Despite never averaging more than 5.6 PPG or higher than an 11.0 PER, Royal Ivey has appeared in at least 25 games in every NBA season since he was drafted in 2004. He'll have a chance to try to earn a roster spot and continue that streak this fall, as he joins the Hawks for training camp, as Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (via Twitter).

Ivey, 31, appeared in 53 games for the Sixers last season, averaging 13.2 minutes per contest. The former second-round pick recorded 3.2 PPG, with most of his points coming from long-range — he shot 42.0% on three-pointers, scoring about 65% of his points from downtown.

We heard back in August that Ivey was set to work out for the Hawks, but Atlanta wasn't the only team to exhibit some interest in the veteran guard. The Spurs also reportedly worked him out, and Ivey drew interest from the Suns and Bucks as well.

Of those four teams, the Hawks have the fewest fully guaranteed contracts on their books, with just 12 so far. That should give Ivey an opening to earn a regular-season roster spot, though he'll have some competition. Shelvin Mack, David Lighty, and Eric Dawson all have non-guaranteed deals, while Mike Scott has a partial guarantee on his contract.

Suns, Bucks Expressed Interest In Royal Ivey

The two teams who worked together to complete the most recent trade of the 2013 offseason currently have their eye on the same free agent, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter). Kennedy reports that the Suns and Bucks have expresseed interest in Royal Ivey, with Ivey expected to work out for Phoenix in the near future.

Ivey, 31, was reportedly set to work out for the Hawks and Spurs near the end of August, and was mentioned as a potential Sixers target earlier in the offseason. Based on the reported interest, it seems as if the veteran guard should have no trouble securing a camp invite, but it's not clear if he'll be able to land more than a non-guaranteed contract.

Neither the Bucks nor the Suns seem to be in good position to offer Ivey any sort of guarantee, since both teams already have at least 15 guaranteed contracts on their books, and aren't likely to have open roster spots this fall.

In 2012/13, Ivey appeared in 53 games for the Sixers, the most he's played in the NBA since the 2008/09 season. Averaging 13.2 minutes per contest, the former second-round pick recorded 3.2 PPG, with most of his points coming from long-range — he shot 42.0% on three-pointers, scoring about 65% of his points from downtown.

Odds & Ends: Ivey, Cavs, Fredette, Lakers, Draft

Former second-round pick Royal Ivey has never scored more than 5.6 points per game in the NBA, nor has he averaged as many as 20 minutes a night. Still, the 6'3" combo guard has consistently found work in the league, as he's spent the entirety of the last nine seasons on an NBA roster. He's unsigned this summer, but it looks like he'll have a chance to make it an even 10 years in the Association. Ivey will soon work out for the Hawks and Spurs, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. Here's more on a few others looking to stick around the NBA awhile:

Sixers Ready To Explore Free Agent Market

It's been more than a month since the Sixers shipped Jrue Holiday and Pierre Jackson to New Orleans in exchange for Nerlens Noel and a 2014 top-five protected first round pick.  But outside of trading for the enigmatic Royce White, the team hasn't done anything to fill out its roster and is the only NBA team remaining without a head coach

One of those things is about to change, reports Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, who writes that the Sixers are finally ready to shop in free agency.  According to Pompey, on the team's wish list is a point guard to backup and mentor rookie Michael Carter-Williams as well as a perimeter shooter.

"We have needs all around," said Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie. "We are going to look for guys who can be a part of our future and have a chance, some guys who can grow with our team."

"We have needs all around," Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie said. "We are going to look for guys who can be a part of our future and have a chance, some guys who can grow with our team."
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20130801_Sixers_finally_ready_to_shop_for_free_agents.html#AmvLHMYrYrPI64PB.99
"We have needs all around," Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie said. "We are going to look for guys who can be a part of our future and have a chance, some guys who can grow with our team."
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20130801_Sixers_finally_ready_to_shop_for_free_agents.html#AmvLHMYrYrPI64PB.99
"We have needs all around," Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie said. "We are going to look for guys who can be a part of our future and have a chance, some guys who can grow with our team."
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/sports/sixers/20130801_Sixers_finally_ready_to_shop_for_free_agents.html#AmvLHMYrYrPI64PB.99

At this point the Sixers intentions for next season are pretty obvious, making the addition of even mid-level free agents unlikely despite having the most available cap room in the league.  Pompey suggests that the team could bring back free agents Royal Ivey and/or Damien Wilkins, and also lists Ronnie Brewer, Luke Babbitt, Xavier Henry and Cole Aldrich as younger options that could pique the team's interest.

We heard yesterday that Hinkie believes the Sixers cap room enables them to be active trade participants if they choose to be and Pompey reiterates that in this story, specifically mentioning Evan Turner as a player who could be on the block and leaving the door open for the team to move any player on their roster. 

"It's a little early now," Hinkie added. "There's a lot of work to do for the team to be filled out. You could see all sorts of things happening."

Atlantic Notes: Shumpert, Sixers, Celtics

The latest news and notes from around the Atlantic Division:

Sixers Sign Royal Ivey

JULY 27TH: The Sixers have officially signed Ivey, the team announced today in a press release.

JULY 17TH: The 76ers and Royal Ivey have agreed to terms on a contract, Philadelphia coach Doug Collins told reporters (including Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com). The years and dollars are unknown, but I'd be surprised if Ivey receives another more than a minimum-salary, one-year guarantee.

We heard last week that the Sixers were hoping to add one more big man and a veteran point guard to their roster this offseason. They ticked the former off their checklist by signing Kwame Brown, and the addition of Ivey appears to round out the team's July moves.

Ivey, 30, spent the last two seasons with the Thunder, seeing limited action at the point behind Russell Westbrook and Eric Maynor. This will be the second stint in Philadelphia for the former Longhorn, who has also seen action with the Hawks and Bucks since being drafted in 2004.

Odds & Ends: Hinrich, Bulls, Meeks, Mayo, Tolliver

Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago reported earlier that the Bucks presented Kirk Hinrich with an offer of about $4 MM per year, while the Bulls have made an offer somewhere between the veteran's minimum and around $2 MM per year. The proposed length of either deal is still unknown. Although the Bulls have been relatively quiet at this point during the offseason, Sam thinks that Chicago could eventually become financially viable for free agent point guards such as Ramon Sessions, Raymond Felton, Jerryd Bayless, and Delonte West, who could be available if they are not acquired during the first wave of free agent signings. Derek Fisher and Jonny Flynn were also mentioned as potential additions.                                                                                                 
We are currently less than four days away from the end of the NBA's moratorium period, and here is the rest of what we've heard around the league this evening…
  • Ersan Ilyasova plans to meet with Bucks owner Herb Kohl on Tuesday, which is seen as an important opportunity in the team's effort to retain the 6'10'' forward (Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times reports). Earlier this week, we reported that Milwaukee offered a deal worth around $40MM over five years.

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