Pacific Notes: Clippers, Jackson, Kings Arena
Earlier this evening, we passed along a report that the NBA will be appointing a CEO to run the Clippers while the league works to strip banned owner Donald Sterling of the team. Here’s more from the west coast:
- Current team president Andy Roeser, who has been running the Clippers in the wake of Sterling’s punishment, will remain in place for the time being per a tweet from Sam Amick of USA Today.
- No timetable has been released for the league’s process, and the Clippers haven’t been informed of all the details the CEO installation will entail, per a tweet from Mark Medina of Los Angeles Daily News.
- Mark Jackson acknowledged that he’ll be “fighting for his life” tonight when the Warriors face the Clippers in a game seven matchup, writes Tim Kawakami of Mercury News. Rumors have suggested Jackson might be on his way out of Golden State, but a win tonight would certainly stand to help his cause.
- Sacramento city officials have postponed the city council vote on the new downtown Kings arena because they have been unable to finalize an agreement, reports Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
Charlie Adams contributed to this post.
And-Ones: Johnson, McCallum, Bochoridis
After breaking into the rotation late in the season for a losing Kings squad, Sacramento’s second-round draft pick Ray McCallum tells Tom Markowski of The Detroit News his decision to enter the draft instead of returning for his senior year of college was worth it. “A lot of us were first-year players,” said McCallum. “We have a first-year owner (Vivek Ranadive), a first-year GM (Pete D’Alessandro) and we made a lot of trades. As the year went, on our chemistry grew.” Here’s more from around the league:
- Kevin Johnson is moving on from helping the NBPA with the Donald Sterling controversy, shifting his focus to helping them find their next executive director, per an email obtained by Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. “I feel I’ve completed my duties associated with the Sterling incident. I’m glad I could be of service during this important time and think the Executive Committee and NBPA staff can take things from here,” wrote Johnson. “For the next few months I look forward to returning the focus of my efforts to the work of the Search Committee.”
- In the same email, Johnson said that the union’s search committee has started reaching out to candidates, and that he has personally spoken with a number of retired players that want to throw their hat in the ring.
- NBA rules entitle Roger Mason Jr. to a playoff share of earnings from the Heat, despite the fact that Mason was dealt to the Kings (who waived him) at the trade deadline, per Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel.
- Lefteris Bochoridis tells Enea Trapani of Sportando that he expects to be picked in this year’s draft. “I work very hard to improve every aspect of my game and I expect [to be picked],” said Bochoridis. “If a team gives me an opportunity to make the NBA I will work hard to do it, otherwise I will continue playing in Europe.” The 20-year-old Greek shooting guard isn’t projected to be selected this year, but is ranked as the 20th best international prospect born in 1994 by Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.
Western Notes: Stotts, Blazers, Kings
The Blazers are riding high after eliminating the Rockets on last night’s incredible, last-second shot from second year point guard Damian Lillard. The Portland franchise, plagued with draft misfortunes and teams of promise that seem to always sink back to mediocrity, is reveling in actual playoff success behind Lillard, who Nicolas Batum deemed the city’s next Brandon Roy, per a tweet from Jason Quick of The Oregonian. Here’s a Western Conference roundup, including more from Rip City:
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities tweets that he thinks the Blazers are likely to pick up their team option for coach Terry Stotts now that Portland has advanced to the second round.
- Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee points out that Kings personnel mistakes from recent years are obvious when watching the Blazers thrive in the playoffs (via Twitter). Sacramento selected Thomas Robinson ahead of the buzzer-beating Lillard, and didn’t obtain Robin Lopez in a three-way trade with the Blazers and Pelicans that brought in Greivis Vasquez last summer.
- Voisin adds in another tweet that she’s heard the Kings passed on Lillard because they thought Isaiah Thomas, who they planned on snagging late in the draft, was equally talented. While Thomas was a great find, he hasn’t played at near the level of Lillard.
Kings Intend To Retain Rudy Gay
Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro says he didn’t trade for Rudy Gay just to have him around for this year, and he’ll continue to talk to the forward who’s undecided on a player option worth more than $19.3MM for 2014/15, as D’Alessandro tells Katie Cracchiolo of Kings.com. Gay has a chance to become a sought-after free agent this summer, but D’Alessandro apparently wants to ensure that he’s back one way or another.
The Octagon Sports client expressed profound indecisiveness nearly a month ago about his option, which would likely give him a greater salary for next season than he could receive on a new contract. Still, a fresh deal would no doubt allow Gay to lock in a greater amount over the long term, and it would give him freedom to pursue interest from rumored suitors like the Suns and other teams that could give him a better chance to win sooner than Sacramento can.
D’Alessandro says that he’s optimistic that Gay has enjoyed the Sacramento community, and Gay said in January that he was comfortable with his new home following the December trade that brought him from Toronto. The 27-year-old also expressed excitement about the on-court freedom coach Michael Malone has given him, and D’Alessandro is similarly high on what Gay has done for the team.
“We did our analysis of Rudy before we did our deal. Rudy is exactly what I expected, which has been nothing short of great,” D’Alessandro said. “We see him as a very consistent, top-level player.”
The Kings have about $47MM in commitments for next season, but that doesn’t include Gay or Isaiah Thomas, who’s set for restricted free agency. D’Alessandro said he and the team “just think the world of” Thomas, and that he’ll be talking to his reps at ASM Sports, too. New contracts for both would likely eat up most, if not all, of Sacramento’s cap flexibility, but if Gay opts out and the Kings re-sign him at a lower salary for next season, it’ll give the club more breathing room beneath the tax line. I took a look at Gay’s free agent stock last week.
Pacific Rumors: Warriors, Kerr, Kings
The Pacific Division isn’t represented in any of tonight’s playoff matchups, but the winner of the Clippers/Warriors series will hope to stay relevant deep into the postseason. Here’s the latest from the west coast:
- The Warriors will canvass their fans about the notion of changing their name from the Golden State Warriors to the San Francisco Warriors with a move across the bay forthcoming, team president and CEO Rick Welts tells Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Sources tell Marc Stein of ESPN.com that they believe Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob would prefer Steve Kerr as coach rather than Mark Jackson, as Stein notes amid a 5-on-5 with other writers. We’ve heard before that Lacob holds Kerr in high regard, and there have been plenty of rumors surrounding Jackson’s job security, but it remains to be seen whether Lacob is inclined to pursue a change.
- Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro discussed his mindset heading into this year’s draft with Katie Cracchiolo of Kings.com. Among other notes, the GM said that Ray McCallum‘s strong play at point guard won’t affect the team’s plans to select the best player available, regardless of position.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Rudy Gay
Rudy Gay was so torn about whether to exercise his $19.3MM+ player option for 2014/15 when the month began that he couldn’t so much as identify the criteria he’d use to come to his decision. He now has little more than two months to make a choice that seemed a certainty in the wake of his trade to the Kings in December, when he appeared ready to opt in. He spent the rest of the season reviving his game to the point that accepting a season of guaranteed maximum salary is no longer a slam dunk.
The former eighth overall pick hit a nadir in Toronto at the beginning of the season, becoming the epitome of the inefficient albatross so many of his analytically minded detractors had regarded him to be. He was shooting just 38.8%, a career low, and yet he was taking a career high 18.6 shots per game through 18 contests with the Raptors, 12 of which were losses. His PER was 14.7, a tick below the mark of an average NBA player.
Enter an NBA owner and advanced metrics devotee who had a different view of Gay. Vivek Ranadive has said repeatedly that his numbers suggested that Gay would perform much better with the Kings, for whom he could be a secondary option to the inside presence of DeMarcus Cousins. Gay was a 20.1 PPG scorer in a partial season in Sacramento, an average identical to the one he posted during 2007/08, his highest scoring season of his eight years in the NBA. He shot 48.2% with the Kings, which would have exceeded his all-time best mark. He also dished out 3.1 assists per game, a volume great enough to set a new career high of 2.9 for the season.
The advanced metrics tell a similar story. His PER spiked to 19.6 in Sacramento, 1.8 points better than his previous career best. He notched .114 win shares per 48 minutes on a team that finished with 28 wins. Tellingly, the average distance of his shot attempts decreased to 11.6, nearly a foot closer than his career average, according to Basketball Reference.
Ranadive had coveted him for months and reportedly was the catalyst behind the trade. There probably isn’t an owner who’s a greater fan of Gay’s, or more willing to open his checkbook for the Octagon Sports client. Perhaps Gay feels as though the time to capitalize on this is now, before any regression happens, before another losing season in Sacramento spoils the owner’s mood, and before the Kings make another move that ties up their books.
There hasn’t been much chatter about an extension after it seemed in the wake of the trade that there was a decent chance it would become a topic of discussion. Former Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo had broached the subject before his ouster last summer. Still, unless Gay opts in and signs an extension after the end of June, it could only run two years longer than his current deal. It wouldn’t give him the kind of long-term financial security that a new, five-year deal from the Kings could provide.
Even a four-year deal with an interested suitor from outside Sacramento would probably ensure more money than an extension would. Some GMs said early in the season that he wouldn’t be worthy of mid-level exception salaries, but that group probably doesn’t include Suns GM Ryan McDonough, as Phoenix appears to have him in its sights. The Suns have been linked to a number of potential free agents this summer, as they’re set to have plenty of cap flexibility even with a new max deal for Eric Bledsoe.
Phoenix, coming off a 48-win season, might be an intriguing destination for Gay, who suggested in December that he wants to play for a winning team. He made similar comments when he spoke about his option decision at the beginning of the month, saying that while he can see himself continuing to play for a rebuilding team, it’s not ideal. Gay was part of a high-scoring trio with Cousins and Isaiah Thomas in Sacramento, but the Kings are miles from contention, and Thomas is set to become a restricted free agent this summer.
Gay has expressed a fondness for Sacramento and said in February that he appreciates the on-court freedom Kings coach Michael Malone and his staff have given him. Gay’s arrival in Sacramento was certainly a boon for his on-court production, even if it meant joining a team that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2005/06. The vast majority of that streak of lottery appearances was under the ownership of the Maloof family. Ranadive was right about Gay’s improved play this season, and his complete reboot of the front office and coaching staff since buying the team last year is reason for optimism. Sacramento has a decent chance to make significant improvements between now and the end of Gay’s next deal.
That next deal is one I think he chooses to sign with Sacramento after opting out of the final season of his existing contract. Hoops Rumors readers pegged his value at between $10MM and $15MM before his time in Sacramento began, and I think he’ll warrant salaries at the high end of that spectrum from Ranadive and company, if not slightly more. That kind of long-term money will more than make up for sacrificing his lucrative option year.
And-Ones: Pacers, Izzo, Donovan, Kings
With a trio of Game Threes on the schedule, let’s take a look at what is going on around the league on Wednesday night:
- With Frank Vogel‘s job reportedly on the line in Indiana, Sean Deveney of Sporting News examines the caveats of the recent NBA trend of hiring younger, cheaper and less experienced head coaches in the mold of the Pacers’ front man. Speaking with several veteran coaches, Deveney writes that policing an NBA locker room is all the more difficult without extensive NBA experience, be it as a coach or a player.
- There has never been more NBA-centric buzz about Tom Izzo, though the Michigan State head coach remains a long shot to leave East Lansing for a gig in the professional ranks. However should the Michigan-born Izzo need to hire an agent, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN tweets that it would likely be Minneapolis-based Gary O’Hagan. Wolfson confirms reports we’ve heard that the Timberwolves would love to land Izzo as their next head coach.
- We know the Wolves are also interested in Florida’s Billy Donovan, who flirted with the NBA seven years ago before eventually backing out. Louisville head coach Rick Pitino, who coached Donovan at Providence, said Wednesday morning on ESPN’s Mike & Mike that Donovan would make an excellent NBA head coach, though Pitino suspects his protege might again get cold feet before making the leap to the next level, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.
- Heading into an important offseason in Sacramento, Ailene Voison of the Bee puts the microscope on the Kings‘ front office hierarchy, led by first-year general manager Pete D’Alessandro. As Voison opines, D’Alessandro is challenged with employing an effective small- to mid-market approach in the mold of the Spurs and Pacers, something the previous regime in Sacramento failed to do.
Kings Notes: Thomas, Draft, Biggest Need
Believe it or not, the last time that the Kings reached the postseason was in 2005/06, which then marked the franchise’s eighth consecutive playoff appearance since the 1998/99 season. More notably, that year denoted the mid-year blockbuster deal which sent Peja Stojakovic to Indiana in exchange for Metta World Peace (then-Ron Artest) as well as Rick Adelman‘s final year as head coach in Sacramento. At 18-24 in late January of 2006, the Kings finished 26-14 to close out the regular season before falling in six games to the 63-19 Spurs.
Earlier today, Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro shared some of his thoughts on how he’ll try to utilize the draft this year as he looks to continue building a competitive roster that will eventually end Sacramento’s playoff drought. We have a few more interesting things to share from D’Alessandro, and you can find them below:
- D’Alessandro confirmed to reporters today, including Cowbell Kingdom’s Jon Santiago, that he plans to extend a qualifying offer to Isaiah Thomas to make him a restricted free agent this summer (Twitter link). It’ll be worth $2,875,131, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors explained last month.
- He believes in drafting the best player available and would not be averse to selecting a small forward in late June, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. While some may wonder what that could mean for Rudy Gay, D’Alessandro cites Gay’s versatility to presumably dispel notions about a potential logjam at that position.
- The Kings’ GM also says that the the team’s biggest need is shooting and is particularly looking for shooters who will be significant rotation players (Jones adds via Twitter).
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
And-Ones: Ratings, Kerr, Kings, Sixers
All five of the teams in the NBA’s three largest media markets saw declines in local ratings during the regular season, and local ratings fell about 5% leaguewide, report John Ourand and John Lombardo of Sports Business Journal. The news belies an otherwise rosy financial picture for the league, with the latest salary cap projection for 2014/15 coming in at $63.2MM, a more than 7.7% hike from this season. Here’s the latest from the Association:
- Steve Kerr is concerned with the failure of the Knicks to capitalize on their resources in the James Dolan era, and Kerr intends to do his research before taking any offer from the team, a source tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
- Former New York Jets GM Mike Tannenbaum is likely to become Kerr’s agent, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com reports.
- Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro isn’t ruling out the idea of trading the team’s first-round pick, and he’ll also try to trade for a second-round pick, as he told reporters, including Ailene Voisin and Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee (All Twitter links).
- Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News would be shocked if Arnett Moultrie were back with the Sixers for 2014/15. Cooney sizes up the future for each Sixer and looks ahead to the draft, noting that Brett Brown is enamored with Dante Exum.
- The Warriors‘ purchase of land in San Francisco for a new arena appears to end any hope that they’ll remain in Oakland, writes Matthew Artz of the Bay Area News Group. “I wish them well,” Oakland city councilman Larry Reid said. “It was my hope that the Warriors would build a new arena in Oakland, but there doesn’t seem to be anything we can do.”
- Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune provides a taste of the local antipathy toward leading Jazz coaching candidate Jim Boylen.
Western Notes: Spurs, Kings, Nuggets
With the salary cap projected to increase by $5MM next season, this could help the Spurs re-sign both Boris Diaw and Patrick Mills, writes Dan McCarney of SpursNation. Diaw averaged 9.1 PPG, 4.1 RPG, and 2.8 APG in 25.0 minutes per game. Mills provided 10.2 PPG, 2.1 RPG, and 1.8 APG in 18.9 minutes a night. Both players are unrestricted free agents.
More from out west:
- Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee breaks down the Kings‘ payroll and salary cap numbers for the team.
- Nuggets coach Brian Shaw just completed his first season as an NBA head coach, and guided the team to a 36-46 record. In an article by Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post, he reflects on the season as well as gives his thoughts on the state of the franchise going forward.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com examines the relationship between Warriors coach Mark Jackson and team owner Joe Lacob. Berger also believes that the team might have to advance deep into the playoffs to retain his job beyond this season.