Tony Parker Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Hornets Waive Tony Parker In Procedural Move

July 2nd, 2019 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

The Hornets have waived guard Tony Parker, the team announced today (via Twitter). The move was a procedural one, as Parker formally announced his retirement last month.

When Parker signed with the Hornets last summer, he inked a two-year, $10.25MM contract which included a non-guaranteed salary in year two. By releasing the longtime Spur, Charlotte will avoid having his $5.25MM salary for the 2019/20 season become guaranteed. That would have happened if he had remained under contract through Thursday, per Basketball Insiders.

Technically, this frees up Parker in the event that he decides to make an NBA comeback down the road, but there’s no indication that’s something he’ll consider.

Tony Parker Announces Retirement

June 10th, 2019 at 11:03am CST by Luke Adams

Longtime NBA point guard Tony Parker has decided to retire from the NBA, he tells Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated. Parker, who had spoken in the past about wanting to play 20 seasons, will instead call it a career after spending 18 years in the NBA.

“I’m going to retire,” Parker told Spears. “I decided that I’m not going to play basketball anymore.”

Parker, the 28th overall pick in the 2001 draft, made his debut for the Spurs later that year and played in San Antonio for the next 17 seasons. During that stretch, he made six All-Star appearances and earned four All-NBA nods. He won four championships with the Spurs and was named the NBA Finals MVP in 2007.

Over the course of his career, which include with one season with the Hornets in 2018/19, Parker averaged 15.5 PPG and 5.6 APG in 1,254 regular season games (30.5 MPG). The Frenchman appeared in 226 postseason contests, averaging 17.9 PPG and 5.1 APG in those games.

Parker, who turned 37 years old in May, tells Spears that he feels like he’s physically capable of playing two more seasons in the NBA. However, he feels like the time is right to move on from his playing career.

“A lot of different stuff ultimately led me to this decision,” Parker said. “But, at the end of the day, I was like, if I can’t be Tony Parker anymore and I can’t play for a championship, I don’t want to play basketball anymore.”

While Parker moved on from the Spurs last summer, his retirement still represents the end of an era in San Antonio, where Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili also retired in recent years. The NBA has now lost three future Hall-of-Famers at the end of the 2018/19 season, with Dirk Nowitzki and Dwyane Wade also playing their final games.

According to Spears, Parker plans to continue living in San Antonio during his retirement, but will also spend time in France, where he’s the owner and president of French basketball club ASVEL. Spears’ article includes a lengthy Q&A with the veteran point guard, and is worth checking out in full.

Technically, Parker’s contract remains on the Hornets’ books for the 2019/20 season, but his $5.25MM salary is non-guaranteed. The club figures to release him at some point before his guarantee date on July 4.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Tony Parker Expected To Decide On Future In June

May 10th, 2019 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

After telling reporters a month ago during his end-of-season media session that he was “50-50” on continuing his career, Hornets guard Tony Parker reiterated that point during an appearance on French TV, as relayed by Antonis Stroggylakis of Eurohoops (via BeBasket).

“It’s 50-50. I haven’t made my decision yet,” Parker said, addressing the possibility of retirement.

Repeating another point he made at the end of Charlotte’s season, Parker admitted that the Hornets’ regular season game in Paris next season is an incentive to return. While he’s still on the fence about what to do, the veteran point guard – who turns 37 next Friday – said he expects to make a decision before the 2019/20 league year begins in July.

“I told the club that I will give them an answer in June,” Parker said. “I really hesitate. I have nothing to prove. I want to spend time with my family. And there’s another part of me that wants to make one last season. There will be an NBA match in France, in Paris. It will be a beautiful event.”

If Parker decides to play one more season, the Hornets will have the opportunity to keep him on their roster — his two-year contract with the team features a non-guaranteed salary of $5.25MM for 2019/20.

It sounds as if Charlotte would welcome him back, and he’d get the chance to play in Paris if he’s still a Hornet. But it could ultimately be in the best interests of both sides to part ways, especially if Kemba Walker signs elsewhere.

Parker told reporters last month that he wants to play on a team that’s at least fighting for the playoffs, rather than a rebuilding club, and the Hornets would almost certainly be lottery-bound without Walker. They also may be looking to cut costs and develop younger players in that scenario, making them a poor fit for Parker.

Hornets Notes: Batum, Walker, Offseason Plans

April 19th, 2019 at 6:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Hornets coach James Borrego isn’t sure how Nicolas Batum fits into his plans for next season, Borrego admits to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. Batum was placed in a variety of roles but had another disappointing season and was briefly benched by Borrego. The team’s highest-paid player has two years and $52.5MM remaining on his contract, making him virtually untradeable unless Charlotte sweetens the pot with a first-round pick or young player. Bonnell suggests making Batum a utility player where he sees minutes at shooting guard, small forward and power forward.

We have more on the Hornets:

Unrestricted free agent Kemba Walker was unhappy that an attempt to acquire veteran center Marc Gasol from Memphis before the February trade deadline fell through, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (hat tip to NBC Sports’ Dan Feldman). The outline of the proposed deal would have sent out center Bismack Biyombo, forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and a protected first-round pick for Gasol. Memphis instead chose to make a deal with playoff-bound Toronto.
If Walker re-signs with the club, Jeremy Lamb will likely be a cap casualty, as ESPN’s Bobby Marks points out in his offseason preview. Getting a commitment from Walker would push Charlotte past the luxury tax threshold. Re-signing Lamb for a conservative estimate of $11MM in the first year would trigger an approximate $27.5MM in additional luxury tax penalties. The team also has to make some hard decisions on non-guaranteed contracts, including Tony Parker‘s deal. The Hornets are unlikely to give forward Frank Kaminsky a $4.5MM qualifying offer before the June 30 deadline, Marks adds.
Walker’s chances of returning are pegged at 30% by Bonnell in his player-by-player breakdown of the roster. Those odds will rise only if GM Mitch Kupchak can pull off a blockbuster deal before free agency to entice Walker to stay.

Hornets Notes: Parker, Kemba, Lamb, Kaminsky, MKG

April 11th, 2019 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking today to reporters, including Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer (Twitter link), veteran point guard Tony Parker said he’s 50-50 on playing for the Hornets next season. Parker would like to return, but only if he can play on a competitive team.

“I don’t want to play on a rebuilding team,” Parker said (Twitter link). “I want to play for a team that’s fighting to make the playoffs at least.”

The contract Parker signed with the Hornets during the 2018 offseason is a two-year deal, but next year’s $5.25MM salary won’t become guaranteed until July 4, per Basketball Insiders. In other words, even if Parker – who will turn 37 next month – decides he wants to stick around, that interest will need to be mutual.

However, the former Spur said today that the Hornets want him to come back, tweets Bonnell. Parker also admitted that the opportunity to play a regular-season game in Paris is an incentive to return.

As we wait to see what happens with Parker, here are several more Hornets-related notes:

As Bonnell relays for The Observer, Kemba Walker said after the Hornets’ regular-season finale on Wednesday that he’s unsure whether he expects to remain in Charlotte long-term. Walker did reiterate today that “this is where I want to be” (video link via Rod Boone of The Athletic), but also said that winning will absolutely be his number one priority (Twitter link via Bonnell).
Asked if the Hornets have done enough to convince him they’re serious about winning, Kemba said that’s still in action, according to Bonnell.
Walker isn’t the only key Hornet with an uncertain future. As Brendan Marks of The Charlotte Observer details, it’ll be a big summer for veterans like Jeremy Lamb and Frank Kaminsky as well.
Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, who has a $13MM player option for 2019/20, said today that he hasn’t thought much yet about his decision, per Bonnell (Twitter link). He did say that “happiness” – rather than money – is his main concern going forward, though it’d still be a surprise if he opts out.
As we explained earlier today, a random drawing on Friday will go a long way toward deciding where the Hornets will pick in the first round of this year’s draft.
Marvin Williams said today that he plans to opt into the final year of his contract. Here’s the full story.

Southeast Notes: Bryant, Carter-Williams, Graham

March 28th, 2019 at 4:01pm CST by Austin Kent

The Wizards have long been eliminated from playoff contention, but second-year big man Thomas Bryant is taking every late-season opportunity to establish himself as a long-term rotation piece for the club, Candace Buckner of the Washington Post writes.

Bryant recently impressed for the Wizards as the team closed out a tight contest against Phoenix. Bryant’s game-winning bucket, his second of the year, capped off a night in which he racked up 18 points and 19 rebounds, outplaying 2018 first-overall pick Deandre Ayton.

“My teammates believe in me. It’s a real big thing,” the Wizards big man told Buckner. “I give it all to my teammates, they believe in me to make that shot, time and time after I missed so many shots this month, this year. To have that confidence is great.”

Here’s more from around the Southeast:

While his stats don’t jump off the page, Michael Carter-Williams has made an impact during his brief stay thus far with the Magic, John Denton of the Magic’s official site writes. Carter-Williams’ length and versatility have contributed to several late-season wins but his future with the franchise is up in the air.
Veteran Tony Parker will cede playing time to Devonte’ Graham, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer tweets. Hornets coach James Borrego would like to give the 24-year-old additional experience and Parker is on board.
If Kelly Olynyk logs 89 minutes over the final eight games of the regular season, he’ll earn a $1MM bonus built into his contract with the Heat, Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel writes. That’s likely but not necessarily guaranteed. “It’s like one of those things that if you want it too much, you’re not going to get it,” Olynyk said. “You’ve just got to focus on the team and winning and the rest will fall into place where it may.“

Hornets, Bucks Will Play In Paris

March 28th, 2019 at 8:56am CST by Arthur Hill

The NBA will hold its first-ever regular-season game in France, with the Hornets and Bucks squaring off January 24, 2020, in Paris, the league announced this morning.

“Our NBA Paris Game will showcase the continued global growth of basketball in one of the world’s greatest cities,” Commissioner Adam Silver said. “With France leading a record number of players from Europe in the league, we look forward to bringing together basketball fans from across the continent for the NBA’s first regular-season game in Paris.”

This will be the first game in France for the Bucks and the second for the Hornets, who played there during the 1994 preseason. The league has staged 10 preseason games in France and has been televising games in the nation since 1984. The game could be a homecoming for veteran point guard Tony Parker if he remains on Charlotte’s roster, but his $5.25MM salary for next season is non-guaranteed.

Today’s announcement was made on the “NBA Extra” show on beIN SPORTS, the league’s official broadcast partner in France, and included an appearance from former Hornet Muggsy Bogues.

The game will take place at AccorHotels Arena, which has hosted nearly all of the NBA’s games in France. Tickets won’t be available until a later date. It will count as a home game for Charlotte, tweets Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

“The Charlotte Hornets are proud to have the opportunity to participate in the first NBA regular-season game in Paris,” team chairman Michael Jordan said. “Having played in the preseason in France during my career, I witnessed first-hand the passion the French fans have for NBA basketball. We are excited to bring our team to Paris for this history-making event.”

Southeast Notes: Brown, Parker, Hernangomez, Adams

February 27th, 2019 at 8:31pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Wizards‘ solution to losing John Wall for at least 12 months appears to include grooming rookie Troy Brown Jr. as a point guard, writes Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington. Brown has the size of a small forward, but grew up running the point. Coach Scott Brooks and team president Ernie Grunfeld both believe he has the potential to be successful at that position in the NBA.

Much of his training may come in the G League, where Washington’s Capital City affiliate is short on point guards with Chasson Randle on the Wizards’ roster and Chris Chiozza on a 10-day deal with the Rockets. Tomas Satoransky will be a free agent this summer, and even if Washington is able to keep him, Brown could be useful as a backup.

“[Point guard] is not a position that you can just learn it as fast as you would like, or as fast as the coaches would like,” Brooks said. “It takes time. It’s a very tough position to learn. We’re very patient with him.”

There’s more from the Southeast Division:

Tony Parker hasn’t indicated whether he plans to play another season, but the Hornets would welcome him back if he does, according to Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. Charlotte has a $5.25MM team option on the deal that Parker signed last summer, and GM Mitch Kupchak said recently that he has exceeded all the expectation the Hornets had for him.
Willy Hernangomez has fallen out of favor in Charlotte, but that doesn’t mean the Hornets are done with him, Bonnell adds in the same piece. The third-year center has dropped out of the rotation, playing just once in the past eight games. However, Bonnell notes that young big men often get several chances to succeed and states that Hernangomez may have trade value this summer.
The new contract that Jaylen Adams got from the Hawks includes a $100K guarantee on his $1.4MM salary for next season, tweets Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report. Adams was a two-way player until Atlanta promoted him to the 15-man roster last week.

And-Ones: Cuban, Draft, Maledon, 2K League

February 25th, 2019 at 7:45pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Mavericks owner Mark Cuban doesn’t mind lowering the minimum draft age from 19 to 18, but points out that it creates another set of issues, as he explained to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News.

Cuban notes that most players out of high school don’t have general life skills, such as writing a check or signing a lease. He also sees the influence of AAU coaches and teams becoming even more pervasive if the age minimum drops.

“The really bad unintended consequence is you’re going to see AAU programs and parents push harder to get kids featured, maybe at the expense of their education, maybe at the expense of really learning how to play basketball because they’ve got coaches that are telling him, ‘Yeah, he’s got a chance to be a ‘none-and-done,'” Cuban said.

We have more from around the basketball world:

League executives are already dreading the extra time, money, and analysis it will take to scout high school prospects, Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer writes in a lengthy piece on the pros and cons of reducing the draft age minimum to 18. Eliminating the one-and-done prospects could make it tougher for lottery teams to land a marquee player, since there will likely be more steals and more busts in the draft. A system that would allow players to be selected in the draft without losing college eligibility could help the process, O’Connor adds.
French point guard Theo Maledon, a Tony Parker protege, could be the top international prospect in the 2020 draft. ESPN’s Mike Schmitz takes a closer look at next year’s international group and notes that the 17-year-old Maledon is now the starting point guard for ASVEL, the club Parker oversees as president. ASVEL is the first-place team among 18 in France’s top league. Maledon could become the second-ever 18-year-old EuroLeague starter, following in the footsteps of Luka Doncic, when ASVEL moves up to the prestigious league next season, Schmitz adds.
The NBA 2K League will begin its 18-week season on April 2 and conclude with the Finals on August 3, according to a league press release. All regular-season games will take place at the NBA 2K League Studio in Long Island City, New York, and will be live-streamed on Twitch.

Pacific Notes: Kuzma, Cousins, Okobo, Suns

January 20th, 2019 at 6:46pm CST by Eric Spyropoulos

While many fans and analysts have focused on Lonzo Ball‘s and Brandon Ingram‘s development as the two key young players for the Lakers, so far this season it has been Kyle Kuzma that has provided the most value to the team. Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report writes that Kuzma has emerged as the Lakers’ best young talent, especially in the wake of LeBron James‘ injury.

As Pincus points out, Kuzma has averaged nearly 25 points per game in the 10 games he has played without James, with the Lakers winning five of those contests. While Kuzma has struggled to hit 3-pointers (just 31.3% so far this season), he can score in a variety of ways while also providing another capable ball-handler.

Meanwhile, Ball’s jump shot continues to disappoint, while Ingram hasn’t looked comfortable playing alongside James, a big issue if he plans on being a crucial piece of the team in the years to come.

There’s more from the Pacific division:

While DeMarcus Cousins made his return on Friday and will continue to work his way into a larger role moving forward, Nick Friedell of ESPN points out that Warriors head coach Steve Kerr doesn’t plan on slowing the pace for Cousins to catch up.
As Elie Okobo continues to adjust to life in the NBA, he was able to face (and learn from) his childhood idol Tony Parker over the past week as the Suns faced the Hornets on two occasions. Duane Rankin of Arizona Central writes about how Okobo grew up watching Parker.
The Suns‘ call for public funds to renovate their arena will reach a vote in the upcoming week. As Bob Young details for The Athletic, the team is calling for $150 million in public funds to help make renovations to an arena that opened in 1992.