Thanasis Antetokounmpo Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Knicks Notes: D-League, Antetokounmpo, Seraphin

August 8th, 2015 at 4:21pm CST by Eddie Scarito

One of the main reasons that the Knicks fired Kevin Whitted as coach of their D-League affiliate, and also did not retain his replacement, Craig Hodges, is because the team’s front office was not pleased with the development of Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Marc Berman of The New York Post relays (on Twitter). Antetokounmpo, who recently inked a partially guaranteed two-year deal with New York, appeared in 47 games for Westchester last season and averaged 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists.

Here’s more from New York City:

Antetokounmpo’s deal with the Knicks includes a partial guarantee of $75k for the 2015/16 campaign, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders tweets. Pincus also confirms that Sasha Vujacic‘s one-year pact is fully guaranteed.
Kevin Seraphin brings with him to New York a solid midrange game, with the big man nailing almost 45% of those attempts, but his true offensive value is that he’s effective playing with his back to the basket, which is a big plus in the triangle offense, Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal writes. The 25-year-old is also a solid rim-protector, but his propensity to get into foul trouble needs improvement, Herring adds.
Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com ran down Seraphin’s numbers from last season, as well as analyzed the center’s strengths and areas in need of improvement. One immediate area of concern for the Knicks regarding their recent signee is his lackluster rebounding production from a season ago, Begley notes.

Knicks Sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo

August 7th, 2015 at 1:34pm CST by Chuck Myron

Courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

FRIDAY, 1:34pm: The deal is official, the team announced (Twitter link).

WEDNESDAY, 2:58pm: The Knicks and 2014 No. 51 pick Thanasis Antetokounmpo are putting the finishing touches on what will be a two-season deal with partial guarantees, a source tells David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter link). Marc Berman of the New York Post reported last week that the Knicks were expected to sign the draft-and-stash prospect before training camp. It appears he’ll see the minimum salary, since the Knicks look like they’re using their $2.814MM room exception on Kevin Seraphin.

Antetokounmpo appeared in 47 contests last season for the Westchester Knicks of the NBA’s D-League. The 23-year-old averaged 13.9 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 1.7 assists to go along with a shooting line of .459/.232/.618.

The addition of Antetokounmpo will give the Knicks a roster count of 17 players, including 13 players with fully guaranteed pacts. The forward will have his work cut out for him in his attempt to make the opening night roster with New York’s current depth at the three spot.

Knicks Expected To Sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo

July 31st, 2015 at 8:34am CST by Chuck Myron

The Knicks are expected to sign 2014 No. 51 pick Thanasis Antetokounmpo, sources tell Marc Berman of the New York Post. Thursday’s release of Ricky Ledo opened the door for the move, according to Berman. The team told Antetokoumpo’s camp this spring that it would likely sign him to the NBA roster after he spent this past season playing for New York’s D-League affiliate, but agent Tim Lotsos later raised the specter of the small forward playing overseas this year if the Knicks didn’t follow through.

Antetokounmpo, now 23, had an up-and-down performance for the Knicks summer league squad, but his final game, in which he went 7 for 7 and scored 17 points, sent him out on a high note, as Berman details. The brother of Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged 13.9 points and 6.2 rebounds in 33.0 minutes per game in the D-League this past season.

The Knicks have also reportedly spoken with former Phil Jackson pupil Sasha Vujacic. New York has 11 fully guaranteed contracts, presuming that the team’s deal with Louis Amundson is one of them, and three partially guaranteed arrangements. That leaves room for Antetokoumpo, Vujacic, and a big man like Kevin Seraphin and Carlos Boozer, whom the Knicks are reportedly targeting. Teams can carry as many as 20 players during the offseason before cutting down to the 15-man regular season limit.

Knicks Rumors: Antetokounmpo, Ndour, Mudiay

July 19th, 2015 at 9:02am CST by Arthur Hill

Thanasis Antetokounmpo‘s impressive performance in Friday’s summer league game could change the Knicks’ minds about signing him for training camp, according to Marc Berman of The New York Post. Antetokounmpo performed below expectations in the D-League last season, and the team was reportedly not committed to giving him a shot in camp. His agent, Nick Lotsos, said Antetokounmpo would consider staying in Europe if the Knicks didn’t offer a contract. Antetokounmpo made all seven of his shots in a 17-point performance Friday that may have changed the team’s mind. “That’s what being a professional is all about,” said coach Derek Fisher. “It’s not about getting minutes every game, getting what you want the whole time but being ready when called upon. He did that [Friday]. We’ll have decisions to make going forward about what we want to do. He did everything he can do. I thought he finished the right way and left us with something to think about.’’

There’s more news this morning from New York:

Maurice Ndour impressed the Knicks with his summer performance, but he may not be invited to camp, Berman reports in the same story. An undrafted 6’9″ power forward out of Ohio University, Ndour stood out with his energy and impressive mid-range shooting. However, the Senegal native may have to seek a camp invitation from another team. “Maurice was solid, he brought energy and activity to our game,’’ Fisher said. “He showed ability to shoot fairly well and defend, block shots, rebound. He represented himself well. We may not be able to keep him. Our roster’s filling up pretty fast.’’
Denver’s Emmanuel Mudiay wasn’t upset about being passed over by the Knicks with the No. 4 pick in the draft, Berman also writes. Mudiay was reportedly concerned that he wouldn’t fit in with the Knicks’ triangle offense.
One new Knick who has no fear of the triangle is point guard Jerian Grant, whose uncle Horace learned it while playing for Phil Jackson‘s Bulls in the 1990s, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “With his IQ and being in a program like Notre Dame, I think he’s a perfect fit for the triangle from the standpoint of the way he passes, the way he can command the game, getting guys in the right position, and I know Phil and I know D-Fish — and they knew he was the perfect guy for that triangle,” Horace Grant said. “… He’s the type of person that I feel will definitely push for the starting point guard spot.”

Eastern Rumors: Lou Williams, Boozer, LeBron

June 17th, 2015 at 10:16am CST by Chuck Myron

Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald expects Lou Williams to reach out to the Heat, among others, in free agency this summer. Still, the Heat are unlikely to have the cap space to afford the reigning Sixth Man of the Year unless two among Dwyane Wade, Goran Dragic and Luol Deng leave the team this summer, Jackson notes. Otherwise, Miami would be limited to either the $5.464MM non-taxpayer’s mid-level exception or the $3.376MM taxpayer’s mid-level. Neither would probably be enough to land the Wallace Prather client who’s likely seeking a significant raise on his $5.45MM salary with the Raptors from this past season. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:

Someone close to Carlos Boozer told Jackson that he wouldn’t be surprised if the power forward signed with the Heat this summer, though Jackson asserts, as he writes in the same piece, that it would almost certainly be a minimum-salary deal if he were to go to Miami.
LeBron James has taken a detached, passive-aggressive stance to expressing his views on the moves his teams make during offseasons in which he’s been a free agent in the past, but the Cavs want him to give direct input this summer, as Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com details. James is likely to opt out and sign another two-year deal with a player option on year two, Windhorst writes, seconding what Joe Vardon of the Northeast Ohio Media Group wrote was a widespread expectation during the season, preferring leverage for himself over comfort for the team.
The Knicks would love to acquire an extra pick, whether in the first round or the second, a source told Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo, whom the Knicks drafted 51st overall last year, would consider signing overseas instead of again playing in the D-League, as his did this past season, if the Knicks don’t sign him to their NBA roster this offseason, agent Tim Lotsos tells Berman for the same piece.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo Likely To Join Knicks

May 11th, 2015 at 12:44pm CST by Zachary Links

The Knicks have informed the representatives for Thanasis Antetokounmpo that they will likely sign him to an NBA deal for next season, agent Tim Lotsos tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Last summer, the athletic forward turned down a two-year, $550K deal overseas to play for the Knicks’ D-League team in Westchester. Now, it seems like his sacrifice will pay off rather immediately.

Lotsos tells Begley that Antetokounmpo’s “first goal” is to play for the Knicks, but he also wants to get his NBA opportunity. The Knicks have been wowed by the small forward’s athleticism, but they’ve also wanted him to get a little more polished before making the leap to the Association. Last year, when the Knicks were clearly out of the playoff mix, there was some speculation that the Greek standout could get a call up to the varsity squad, but that never materialized.

The Knicks could offer Antetokounmpo a tender for next season and retain his rights, but that would give him the opportunity to seize a more lucrative overseas deal this time around. Last year, Antetokounmpo earned just $25K, less than 10% of what he would have made elsewhere.

Antetokounmpo, the older brother of Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo, was drafted late in the second round of the 2014 draft by team president Phil Jackson, who was very impressed with his athleticism. Antetokounmpo averaged 15.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per 36 minutes this past season in the D-League, but Begley hears from scouts that say he’s still too raw and too inconsistent with his jumper to contribute at the next level.

Atlantic Notes: D-League, Lopez, Noel

March 28th, 2015 at 8:48am CST by Eddie Scarito

Despite the Nets’ reported attempts to trade Brook Lopez prior to the February deadline, the big man is keeping the team in the playoff hunt, Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com writes. Over his past four games, Lopez is averaging 30.8 points, 9.0 rebounds and 3.5 blocks in 36.8 minutes while shooting 65.8% from the field. Lopez has a player option worth $16,744,218 for 2015/16, and while he may want to opt out and try to secure a long-term deal given his injury history, the center might be wise to wait until the salary cap increases in 2016 to test the free agent market, Mazzeo opines.

Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The switch to the triangle offense has also been a difficult one for the Knicks‘ D-League affiliate, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. Westchester owns the second-worst record of the 18 teams D-League teams with a mark of 10-35. There are also rumblings that coach Kevin Whitted hasn’t been on the same page as assistant Craig Hodges all season, a league source tells Berman. There’s speculation Hodges could be Westchester’s head coach next season, according to Berman’s source.
Westchester has also failed to develop its younger players, Berman’s source relayed. That opinion also included that the team has filled out its roster with too many veterans. Knicks second-rounder Thanasis Antetokounmpo was not considered not ready to play for a woeful New York squad after a season in Westchester, Berman notes. In addition, prospect Orlando Sanchez left the squad recently because of financial reasons when told he wasn’t going to be signed to an NBA deal, according to Berman.
Nerlens Noel has begun to prove that he can remain healthy and become a force for the Sixers, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes. Coach Brett Brown has been particularly impressed with how well the 216 pound rookie has held up this season, Howard-Cooper adds. “He’s 216 pounds and an NBA center right now,” Brown said of Noel. “We’re trying to play him as a four or a five. The fact that he’s got through it with no knee problem and only missed four games, one because of another injury and a few because of sickness, to only miss four games as a rookie, that is a hell of an effort. To take it further and zoom in on the knee, I just feel like he is heading in the right direction on all levels.”

Eastern Notes: Jennings, Knicks, Antetokounmpo

March 8th, 2015 at 7:56pm CST by Zachary Links

Pistons guard Brandon Jennings says he’s three weeks ahead of his recovery schedule and expects to be able to walk without a boot in two weeks, David Mayo of MLive.com tweets. Jennings suffered a torn Achilles tendon in January and will miss the remainder of the season. Jennings is set to earn ~$8.34MM in 2015/16 before hitting the open market. More from the East..

Knicks coach Derek Fisher says the team is considering filling their open roster spot with unsigned second-round pick Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. The shooting guard is playing for the Westchester Knicks of the D-League after declining a deal from an Italian team. Fisher hinted that he’d like to see the roster spot filled, but said that it’s a decision that’s up to front office brass.
Keith Schlosser of SNY.tv is worried that Knicks president Phil Jackson won’t be able to add talent to his roster this summer. The Knicks have a good deal of flexibility, but top free agents Marc Gasol and Goran Dragic appear to be unlikely options at this point. LaMarcus Aldridge is a possibility, but how likely such a union is remains to be seen.
Since being traded to the Celtics in February, Isaiah Thomas has averaged 8.7 points scored in the fourth quarter and has taken on the role of a go-to guy, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes.
Khris Middleton, a pending restricted free agent, is going to see a healthy payday this summer, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders tweets. The 23-year-old (24 in August) is averaging 12.4 PPG and 4.6 RPG in 28.2 minutes per contest for the Bucks this season.

Knicks Poised To Sign Thanasis Antetokounmpo?

February 16th, 2015 at 4:53pm CST by Chuck Myron

4:53pm: The Knicks appear unsure of whether to sign Antetokounmpo this season, as his European agent, Tim Lotsis, tells Berman for a full story. Knicks team president Phil Jackson told Antetokounmpo before he agreed to join New York’s D-League club that there was an outside chance he’d be on the NBA roster before this season was through, Berman writes.

“We had a discussion with [GM] Steve Mills [within] the past week,” Lotsis said. There was no clear indication about whether he’ll be there for the remainder of the season or if they are thinking next season. He said he’s thinking seriously about Thanasis for the team’s future. I don’t think it’s clear how the season finishes.’’

2:40pm: The Knicks are sticking to their plan to sign Antetokounmpo next season, as Shams Charania of RealGM hears (Twitter links), which seemingly conflicts with the report that the Knicks are prepared to sign him sooner.

1:28pm: Antetokounmpo’s European agent told Marc Berman of the New York Post that the Knicks are “thinking seriously” about his client for the team’s future, but the agent added that he hadn’t heard from the Knicks today (Twitter link).

9:03am: The Knicks are “ready” to sign second-round pick Thanasis Antetokounmpo, a source tells Keith Schlosser of SNY.tv. New York’s buyout agreement with Amar’e Stoudemire will open a spot on the roster, and it appears the Knicks intend to fill it with Antetokounmpo, the older brother of Bucks phenom Giannis Antetokounmpo and the 51st overall pick this past summer.

The Antetokounmpo set to join the Knicks has spent the season with New York’s D-League affiliate. His numbers haven’t been eye-popping, with 13.7 points and 6.0 rebounds in 31.7 minutes per game, with the exception of his 1.5 blocks per contest, which he’s achieved despite standing only 6’7″. It’s the second straight season in the D-League for Antetokounmpo, who spent last season with the Sixers affiliate but was ineligible to sign an NBA contract because he had not yet gone through the NBA draft.

It’s not clear whether New York plans to sign him to a 10-day contract or a longer arrangement. New York would risk losing his rights if the team only signed him for 10 days, since he’d be a free agent at the end of the deal, so I’d expect a contract that carries through next season, though that’s just my speculation. The Knicks are limited to paying him no more than the minimum salary and giving him a deal that stretches no longer than the end of next season.

Knicks Notes: Antetokounmpo, Calderon, Martin

January 14th, 2015 at 4:18pm CST by Eddie Scarito

Bucks swingman Giannis Antetokounmpo believes strongly that the Knicks should call up his older brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo, from the D-League, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “He’s ready,’’ the younger Antetokounmpo said. “I don’t think the Knicks have to lose anything. They lose 15 [straight] now. Tomorrow is going to be 16. They don’t have anything to lose. My brother could bring energy to the team and [is] hard-working, and guys from the team can see that and take something from him.’’ With three players currently on their roster with 10-day contracts, the Knicks will have an available slot shortly, Berman notes.

Here’s more out of New York:

Kenyon Martin, who is currently with the Bucks on a 10-day deal, was asked why the Knicks didn’t show any interest in his services this season, Berman writes in a separate piece. Martin’s response was, “You got to ask them that, boss. You know that. They made that decision. It is what it is. I moved on. I went and got my surgery and did most of [the rehab] on my own. I don’t hold no grudges. I thought it would’ve been a little different. It is what it is. I’m not bitter.’’ Milwaukee is reportedly considering signing Martin for the remainder of the season.
Point guard Jose Calderon understands that he could be traded by the Knicks prior to February’s deadline, Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes. “It can happen,” Calderon said. “Why are you going to be surprised? They’re changing stuff. I don’t know what’s really on their minds right now. I have no idea what’s going to happen. It’s the NBA. It’s a business. They have a plan. They really want that cap space. That’s why they made some of the moves. It can happen again.” The Knicks appear to be shopping Calderon along with Andrea Bargnani.
Calderon isn’t focusing on his trade status, Iannazzone adds, but rather on trying to help turn around a nightmarish Knicks season. Calderon said that until something changes he will consider himself part of New York’s future, the Newsday scribe notes. “I came here thinking I was part of it [the Knicks’ rebuilding plan],” Calderon said. “I’m still thinking about it. It’s nothing different yet. So I’m still part of it.“