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Pistons Rumors: Van Gundy, Anthony, Mitchell

November 26th, 2014 at 10:32am CST by Chuck Myron

Stan Van Gundy admits that it’s been difficult to strike a balance between the demands of the now and preparing for the future, as he told reporters, including Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. The coach/executive acknowledged that the last-place Pistons have quite a ways to go.

“I don’t think it’s gonna be overnight,” Van Gundy said of building his team into a winner. “I’d like it to be. [Owner] Tom [Gores] would like it to be, but I don’t think it’s gonna be an overnight thing.”

Van Gundy had more to say, as we detail amid the latest from the Motor City:

  • Van Gundy said Gores is overlooking areas of incremental improvement that will need more time to develop, but he reiterated earlier statements that indicate the close working relationship he has with the owner, as MLive’s David Mayo details. “I’m very much aware of what his thinking is, and I think he’s very much aware of what mine is, and we’re on the same page,” Van Gundy said after a 90-minute conversation with Gores on Monday. “But I don’t really think that somebody in my position could have much closer communication with an owner than I do. I can’t even imagine that. I can’t.”
  • Detroit traded for Joel Anthony just last month, but the 32-year-old big man, whose contract is up at season’s end, has already let Van Gundy know that he wants to re-sign with the Pistons this summer, as Anthony tells Shams Charania of RealGM. “I love the idea of being here, staying here moving forward and having a chance to help them turn this franchise around,” Anthony said. “Stan has been very adamant about wanting to change the culture, so to be part of that … I don’t want to say it’s more special than playing on a contending team that could win it all, but it would be very satisfying and gratifying to be part of a situation where you’re able to turn things around.”
  • The Pistons have assigned power forward Tony Mitchell to the D-League, the team announced. It’s the first trip to the Grand Rapids Drive this season for Mitchell, who played 11 games on D-League assignment last season. He’s not to be confused with the former Bucks small forward by the same name.
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D-League Notes: Hairston, Faverani, Siva

January 31st, 2014 at 7:09pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, Chris Mannix of SI.com reported that executives around the league believe the Cavs are hesitant to send No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett to the D-League because they think it would look like an admission of failure on their part.  Meanwhile, the forward still hasn’t turned things around for the Cavs’ varsity squad.  Here’s tonight’s look at the D-League..

  • P.J. Hairston is impressing scouts and his stock is rising, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (via Twitter).  Now with the Texas Legends, the former UNC standout is averaging 27.4 ppg and shooting 43% from three-point range in five D-League games.  Hairston is currently ranked No. 26 on the most recent mock draft from DraftExpress.
  • The Celtics announced that they have assigned center Vitor Faverani and guard Vander Blue to the Maine Red Claws of the D-League.  Faverani, a 6’11” center, has appeared in 37 games for the Celtics this season and has recorded 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.2 minutes per game.  Blue, a 6’5” guard, has appeared in three games for the Celtics this season and has totaled five points, three rebounds, and an assist in 15 minutes of play.  Faverani is expected to be back with the Celtics on Sunday, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
  • The Pistons announced today that the team has re-assigned rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League.  Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.6 steals in five games during his first stint with the Mad Ants from December 28 through January 8.  In six games with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.  They’ll likely be there for two weeks, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.
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D-League Moves: Gaines, Wizards, Knicks

January 30th, 2014 at 5:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Sundiata Gaines is headed to the D-League, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. The three-year NBA veteran has appeared in 11 games with Besiktas Milangaz in Turkey this year and was in camp with the Pacers in the fall of 2012. The 6’1″ guard’s most memorable contribution to the NBA was a buzzer-beater for the Jazz in 2010, though his best season was in 2011/12, when he started 12 games for the Nets. Here are more comings and goings from the D-League:

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D-League Notes: Harris, Jazz, Muhammad

January 13th, 2014 at 5:22pm CST by Zachary Links

Manny Harris, fresh off his second D-League Performer of the Week award, is drawing interest from the Hawks and Lakers, according to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio.  NBA interest is nothing new for Harris, who also spoke with Thunder management about a week ago.  Here’s more from the D-League..

  • The Jazz today officially announced their recall of Ian Clark and Rudy Gobert from the D-League.  Jody Genessy of the Deseret News first reported the move yesterday.
  • The T’Wolves announced that they have recalled Shabazz Muhammad from the Iowa Energy.  The rookie forward is expected to practice with Minnesota today.  The UCLA product averaged 24.5 points and 9.8 rebounds in four games.  Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune (on Twitter) notes that Flip Saunders said this would be the plan all along.
  • The Pistons announced that they have recalled rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.  Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists and 2.6 steals in five games (four starts) with Fort Wayne.  In six games (five starts) with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game.
  • The Kings announced that they have assigned rookie guard Ray McCallum to the team’s NBA Development League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns.  McCallum was assigned yesterday and recalled just a few hours later.
  • The Raptors announced that they have recalled Dwight Buycks from the Bakersfield Jam.  Buycks has appeared in 12 games for the Raptors this season recording a total of 41 points, 10 assists, 20 rebounds and six steals in 121 minutes.
  • The Delaware 87ers of the D-League have claimed guard Vander Blue, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).  Maccabi Rishon LeZion of Israel waived the former Marquette shooting guard just before the New Year.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

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Eastern Notes: Carmelo, LeBron, Korver, Butler

December 26th, 2013 at 4:57pm CST by Charlie Adams

Here’s the latest from the NBA’s Eastern Conference:

  • Carmelo Anthony is a free agent at the end of the season, but Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld reports the Knicks are quite confident they’ll re-sign the All-Star forward. Said one executive: “They’re one confident bunch… To listen to them, they expect to have Carmelo re-signed and have another star with him in another year. They’re so sure about it you’d think they already know what will happen.“
  • The Heat’s LeBron James is another potential free agent, but Kennedy reports in the same post that James isn’t giving next summer much thought: “I’m so zoned in on what my task is here this year that it’s hard to think about anything else.” James can exercise the early termination clause in his contract and become a free agent at the end of the year, but he certainly sounds content in Miami: “What is there not to like about Miami?” James said. “It is a home. My family is very happy; I’m very comfortable.”
  • Hawks GM Danny Ferry has been pleased with Kyle Korver‘s production this year, revealed Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer. Korver re-signed with Atlanta this offseason. In her piece, Boyer passes along a few fond words that Ferry had about Korver: “I respect him. As we build our culture, our environment here in Atlanta, having Kyle back as a part of that was exciting.”
  • Rasual Butler hasn’t always had a reputation as an asset in the locker room, but Frank Vogel insists that hasn’t been the case during the veteran’s time with the Pacers, as Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star observes. Butler didn’t make the team out of camp solely because Danny Granger had been slow to recover from injury, Vogel adds.
  • The Pistons announced today via press release that they have assigned rookies Tony Mitchell and Peyton Siva to the D-League. The duo will get to see minutes playing for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
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Central Rumors: Butler, Pistons, Cavs

December 8th, 2013 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Pistons met the Bulls on Saturday in a game that would allow the winner to hit .500, and Detroit came away with the victory. That gives the Pistons the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, where everyone’s looking up at the Pacers, now 18-2 after a resounding win against the Spurs. Here’s more from the Central Division:

  • Caron Butler would be interested in putting a group together to buy the Bucks from Herb Kohl, reports Rich Kirchen of The Business Journal. Butler also says he’d like to take an active role in managing the team, but the 33-year-old would have to retire from playing first to accomplish either objective.
  • The Pistons aren’t likely to send Tony Mitchell on a D-League assignment this season, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, contradicting his report from before the season. The team feels differently about Peyton Siva, who could wind up in the D-League once Chauncey Billups and Will Bynum return from injury, Ellis adds.
  • Some Cavs players haven’t been enamored with Mike Brown‘s strict coaching this season, the Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto observes. The team gave Brown license to use a heavy hand with his four-year contract, Pluto writes.
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Eastern Notes: Kirilenko, Bucks, Collins, Magic

October 1st, 2013 at 2:31pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's round up a few Tuesday items out of the Eastern Conference….

  • In a column on the Nets' addition of Andrei Kirilenko, Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report details the veteran forward's time on the open market, which initially saw him turn down overtures from the Nets. According to Zwerling, Kirilenko drew some interest from the Warriors and Spurs, and was in talks with three non-playoff teams for larger salaries before he reconsidered Brooklyn's mini mid-level offer.
  • Bob Wolfley of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel rounds up several comments from Bucks owner Herb Kohl about the possibility of a new arena in Milwaukee, the offseason roster overhaul, and his aversion to tanking.
  • ESPN.com's Marc Stein explains why Jason Collins isn't in camp with an NBA team, and identifies three clubs that could be fits for the big man once the season gets underway, including the Wizards and Nets.
  • Player development is the primary focus in Orlando, but Magic executives tell Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld that the team doesn't view developing young players and winning games as mutually exclusive.
  • Pistons rookie forward Tony Mitchell is probably headed for a D-League stint at some point this season, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.

Read more

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Eastern Notes: Bynum, Mitchell, Sixers, Heat

July 22nd, 2013 at 1:24pm CST by Luke Adams

Let's check in on a few items from around the Eastern Conference….

  • Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com has the specifics on Andrew Bynum's deal with the Cavaliers, tweeting that the overall value is $24,790,000 over two years. However, only $6MM of that total is guaranteed, with no guarantee date. That means that the Cavs could waive Bynum on or before January 7th and only pay him $6MM. Assuming they keep him for the entire 2013/14 season, the Cavs could also release him next summer before July 10th and avoid paying any of his '14/15 salary, as ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst tweets.
  • Within his update of the Pistons' salaries, Deeks passes along the details on Tony Mitchell's contract, which is guaranteed for two seasons and non-guaranteed in the third. It'll pay him $500K in his rookie year, and the minimum in each of the next two years.
  • In his latest Morning Tip column at NBA.com, TNT's David Aldridge says the Sixers are expected to interview Raptors assistant Nick Nurse for their head coaching opening.
  • While much has been made of the cap space the Lakers expect to have next summer, the Heat could also be serious players on the free agent market if LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh opt out, writes Windhorst at ESPN.com. I would assume Miami's first choice would be to bring back all those guys on their current deals or new ones, but clearing their salaries would create a variety of possibilities for the team.
  • Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel addresses some free agent possibilities for the Heat for the current offseason in his latest mailbag.
  • The Bucks are attempting to rebuild their roster without bottoming out, writes Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com.
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Pistons Sign Caldwell-Pope, Mitchell

July 19th, 2013 at 10:21am CST by Luke Adams

The Pistons have officially locked up rookies Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Tony Mitchell, the team announced today (Twitter link). Caldwell-Pope will receive a standard rookie-scale contract, while the terms of Mitchell's agreement aren't yet known.

As our chart of salaries for first-rounders shows, Caldwell-Pope, the eighth overall pick last month, will likely receive a 2013/14 salary of about $2.65MM. Mitchell, a North Texas product who is not to be confused by the former Alabama player of the same name, may receive a minimum-salary deal. However, the Pistons still appear to have some cap space, plus their room exception, so it's also possible that Mitchell receives a salary that exceeds the minimum.

For the complete breakdown of which of this year's draft picks have signed so far, check out our list here. As that list shows, the Pistons' third pick, Peyton Siva, remains unsigned. According to Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News (via Twitter), the team has yet to make a decision on Siva, who may be the odd man out on a roster that already features 15 players.

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Berger On Knicks, Spurs, Plumlee, Hawks, C’s

June 27th, 2013 at 5:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Ken Berger of CBSSports.com is passing along a number of draft-night updates via Twitter, so let's dive in and check out the latest from him….

  • The Knicks figure to keep their first-round pick and will likely target the best available shooting guard at No. 24. Berger suggests Jamaal Franklin or Allen Crabbe.
  • With the Spurs hoping to get younger and more athletic, teams view Tony Mitchell and Lucas Nogueira as possibilities for San Antonio at No. 28.

Earlier updates:

  • Mason Plumlee is a "strong possibility" for the Hawks at No. 17 or 18, according to Berger. The team's other pick would likely be a draft-and-stash international player.
  • Jamaal Franklin has drawn interest from the Hawks, Bulls, Knicks, and Clippers.
  • Berger says that NBA teams are eager to see what the Celtics do at No. 16. If Boston drafts a point guard, it could be an indication that the club is open to trading Rajon Rondo as part of its rebuild.
  • On the other hand, if the Celtics intend to rebuild around Rondo, rival teams believe Reggie Bullock is a likely target for the C's at No. 16.
  • The Pacers (No. 23), Clippers (25), Wolves (26), and Nuggets (27) are teams who could end up moving their first-round picks.
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