Central Links: Cavs, Pistons, Bulls, Quinn
Cavs owner Dan Gilbert held court with Cleveland-area reporters before tonight’s opener, touching on a variety of topics, as we noted this evening. Gilbert said he has yet to begin talking about a contract extension for Kyrie Irving, who’ll be eligible for one next summer. Of course, we’re a year and a day away from the deadline for the Cavs and Irving to strike a deal, so Gilbert has plenty of time. Here’s more from another NBA owner as we look around the Central Division:
- Pistons owner Tom Gores followed up on his comments to Bob Wojnowski of the Detroit News with an address today before the media, including MLive’s David Mayo. He expressed support for Joe Dumars but says he doesn’t want to discuss an extension to the GM’s contract, can’t envision selling the Pistons at any point, and isn’t keen on the idea of moving the team downtown.
- Gores also believes his own recruitment of free agents “has made a difference, in terms of folks coming on board, in knowing that ownership does care and we don’t just use our basketball players as assets.”
- We heard from Shams Charania of RealGM.com earlier that Patrick Christopher will join the Bulls‘ D-League affiliate after failing to make Chicago’s opening-night roster, and the same is the case for Kalin Lucas, who’ll also play for the Iowa Energy, Charania reports. The Bulls waived both on the second day of training camp, leading Mark Deeks of ShamSports to speculate that the team signed them only to facilitate an out in case its other camp invitees got injured. It seems now that Chicago didn’t entirely view them as pawns, since the team apparently wants to keep an eye on their development.
- The Cavs waived Chris Quinn this summer after he briefly reappeared in the NBA last season, and it looks like the 30-year-old is transitioning into his post-playing career. He’s joined the coaching staff at Northwestern, according to the Columbus Dispatch.
Bulls Pick Up Options On Butler, Teague
5:13pm: The Bulls have officially announced the moves, via press release.
4:14pm: After some “lingering doubt,” the Bulls have also picked up their 2014/15 option on Teague, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter).
10:11am: The Bulls have officially exercised Jimmy Butler‘s fourth-year option, according to RealGM.com’s transactions log. The move ensures that Butler’s salary will be guaranteed through the 2014/15 season.
Butler, 24, appeared in all 82 games for the Bulls last season, averaging 8.6 PPG and a 15.2 PER as he emerged as a key part of the team’s core. He’ll be in line for a salary of about $2MM in ’14/15, and will also be eligible for a contract extension as of next July.
The Bulls also have to make a decision today or tomorrow on Marquis Teague‘s 2014/15 option, and the fact that it has yet to be picked up could signal that Chicago will pass. Although the Bulls would only be on the hook for an extra $1.12MM in ’14/15 if they exercised Teague’s option, a report earlier this month suggested that the club was prepared to move on from the second-year point guard.
Odds & Ends: Lakers, LeBron, Gibson, KG
Magic Johnson tells the “Max and Marcellus Show” on ESPNLA 710 that he’d be willing to help the Lakers recruit free agents during what he calls a “crucial summer” ahead. “If it’s (Lakers co-owner) Jim Buss going up against Pat Riley, he’s going to lose that battle. He needs help,” Johnson said. “You have to have a recruiter. Jim needs a recruiter with him.” Johnson touched on plenty more about the Lakers and their recent past, and Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com rounds up the highlights. Here’s more from opening night in the Association:
- LeBron James tried to recruit Taj Gibson to the Heat when Gibson was a year away from restricted free agency, but Gibson doesn’t think he’ll return the favor with James poised to hit free agency this summer, as Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times details.
- Kevin Garnett has yet to make his official debut for the Nets, but he’s already the “heartbeat of the team,” according to fellow offseason addition Alan Anderson. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has more.
- Kevin Love tells Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune that he and Ricky Rubio have spoken about a long-term future together, but for now, they’re focusing on the present. Both Timberwolves can become free agents in 2015.
- Sixers GM Sam Hinkie is confident that the city of Philadelphia can be a selling point for marquee free agents when he’s ready to make a run at them, but Mike Sielski of the Philadelphia Inquirer wonders if local fans will turn on him before he gets to that point.
- Brett Brown admits that the challenge of coaching the Sixers is harder than he envisioned when he took over the team in August, observes Tom Moore of The Intelligencer.
- Xavier Henry remains on a non-guaranteed contract after making the Lakers out of camp, but he’s drawing raves from coach Mike D’Antoni, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link).
NBA Teams With Open Roster Spots
NBA teams are permitted to carry 15 players into the regular season, so now that opening night rosters are set, as many as 450 players could be under contract around the league. Instead, only 439 players are currently on NBA rosters, leaving 11 openings spread out among nine clubs. With the help of our roster count tool, here are the teams bringing open roster spots into the regular season:
Two openings:
- Chicago Bulls
- Memphis Grizzlies
One opening:
- Boston Celtics
- Golden State Warriors
- Indiana Pacers
- Los Angeles Clippers
- Oklahoma City Thunder
- Phoenix Suns
- San Antonio Spurs
Teams carrying a full 15-man roster know that not all 15 players will see regular minutes in NBA games this season. Still, keeping an extra prospect or two under control, perhaps assigning them to the D-League to get them frequent playing time, could pay off in the long run, and has little downside. Many end-of-bench players are still on non-guaranteed contracts, so they don’t adversely affect a team’s roster flexibility, since they can be easily cut if the team wants to make a trade or signing.
The only real downside of carrying 15 players is having to pay 15 players. That’s why we shouldn’t be surprised to see that many of the teams listed above are either taxpayers or clubs hovering dangerously close to tax territory. For teams like the Bulls and Clippers, who are more focused on title contention than player development, carrying a 15th man all season isn’t worth the extra tax penalties. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies, Celtics, Thunder, and Pacers all have $68MM+ in guaranteed team salary on their books, so paying a 15th player would reduce cap flexibility for those clubs, who are looking to steer clear of the $71.748MM tax line.
We’ll be keeping our list of roster counts up to date throughout the 2013/14 season, so if you’re curious about whether or not a team has room to add a free agent or make an unbalanced trade, keep an eye on that page.
Odds & Ends: Gasol, Jazz, Brown, Bucks
Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni says the way he emphasized Dwight Howard over Pau Gasol in his offense last season “wasn’t fair” to the Spaniard, admitting that “if nobody had names on their jerseys,” the situation would have been different, as USA Today’s Sam Amick observes.
“It was hard to be in that position,” said Gasol, a free agent at season’s end. “I understood the politics of it, and why things were a certain way, but it didn’t make it any easier during the process. But you learn and move on and you grow, and you go to the next chapter. I’m excited about my new position. It’s a different situation, a different team. I’m happy and proud to continue to be here, despite everything. I’m ready to play and have a great year.”
That year is just about to start, with the first games of the 2013/14 season just hours away. Here’s the latest from around the Association:
- Jazz CEO Greg Miller, coach Tyrone Corbin, and Derrick Favors all conveyed hopes today that Gordon Hayward remains in Utah long-term, a sentiment Hayward himself echoes. Jody Genessy of The Deseret News has the details as Thursday’s deadline for Hayward to sign an extension looms.
- The Timberwolves aren’t among the teams interested in Shannon Brown, whom the Wizards waived today, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (Twitter link).
- The Wolves announced a deal for renovations to the Target Center today, but Bucks owner Herb Kohl says the NBA prefers there be a new arena in Milwaukee rather than a renovation to the Bucks’ existing home, notes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel.
- Former Grizzlies coach Lionel Hollins has changed agents, signing with Steve Kauffman of Kauffman Sports Management Group, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Warren LeGarie had previously represented Hollins.
- The Bulls signed Kalin Lucas and Patrick Christopher in September and waived them on the second day of training camp. The maneuver allowed Chicago to sign their other camp invitees to summer contracts that gave the team an out in case they suffered an injury, as Mark Deeks of ShamSports explains in a piece for HoopsWorld.
Central Links: Kadji, Cavs, Robinson, Pistons
Here’s the latest out of the Central Division on a busy day of roster moves in the NBA:
- The Cavs’ release of DeSagana Diop, Jermaine Taylor, Elliot Williams and Kenny Kadji means that Henry Sims and Matthew Dellavedova have made the Cavs’ 15-man roster, as Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. The Cavs like Kadji, however, and they’re expected to protect the power forward from the D-League draft and retain his rights for the Canton Charge once he clears waivers.
- Bob Finnan of The News-Herald has more on Sims, who made the team on a non-guaranteed deal, and sizes up the chances the Cavs‘ other cuts have of ending up with the Charge.
- Nuggets guard Nate Robinson misses Chicago but he understands why the Bulls didn’t re-sign him, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. “It’s a business,” he said. “Everybody knew I wanted to come back, but they had other things in mind. They signed a great shooter in (Mike) Dunleavy. They got a good rookie (Tony Snell). They’ve got a great team. I miss it. I would be lying if I said that I didn’t. … I had a hell of a year and it was a great run.”
- It’s too early to call the Pistons’ big frontline a success, but they’re optimistic about having Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe, and Josh Smith on the floor together, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Bulls Release Dexter Pittman, D.J. White
The Bulls have placed Dexter Pittman and D.J. White on waivers, the team announced via press release. Jeff Goodman of ESPN.com reported the news shortly before the transactions took place (Twitter link). The moves pare the team’s roster down to 13, the minimum number of players a team can carry in the regular season. Both were on non-guaranteed deals.
Mike James remains the only Bulls player without any guarantee on his contract, so it looks like the 38-year-old guard has made the opening night roster. Second-round pick Erik Murphy, who has a $250K guarantee, also remains with Chicago.
The Bulls are over the luxury tax line, so getting down to 13 players is likely a cost-cutting move for the franchise, which paid the tax for the first time last season.
Bulls Notes: Rose, Butler, Deng
While on “The Waddle and Silvy Show” on ESPN Chicago 1000, Bulls vice president John Paxson described Derrick Rose‘s pre-season performance as “fearless” and doesn’t think that any restrictions will be put on the former MVP: “Unless he would come up with something that would concern us, but we have no concerns right now. You look at his preseason, and I think [coach Thibodeau] has done a really nice job of kind of amping up his minutes. He’s played six games. In reality he is only averaging about 27 minutes a game in this preseason, and he has looked terrific. Right now there is no reason to think that there will be any restrictions, and we’re not anticipating that at all” (hat tip to ESPNChicago.com).
Here are some more rumblings to share out of Chicago tonight:
- Rose’s ability to create for his teammates will lead to plenty of offensive opportunities, especially for teammate Jimmy Butler, who is still looking to find his niche on that end of the floor (K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune).
- In another piece from Johnson, head coach Tom Thibodeau sang Luol Deng‘s praises amidst his noteworthy production so far in the pre-season: “He’s a complete player…He does whatever you ask. He’s very disciplined. He stays in great shape, prepares himself to guard multiple positions, moves without the ball…He does so many things that make your team better that never appear in a box score. He’s a hard guy to measure statistically, even though his statistics are very good. He’s invaluable to us.”
- Johnson also adds that Joakim Noah is still questionable for the team’s regular season opener next week, and that guard Kirk Hinrich has been medically cleared from the concussion he suffered last Friday.
Odds & Ends: Dunleavy, D-League, Tyler
A few random notes from around the league.
- The D-League’s Erie Bayhawks have announced several additions to their staff, according to the team.
- The Bucks made Mike Dunleavy an offer to return this summer, but he instead chose to sign with the Bulls, where he’s making a strong impression on coach Tom Thibodeau, reports Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel.
- Jeremy Tyler is holding out hope he can make the Knicks roster, despite undergoing surgery on a stress fracture in his right foot in early September, writes the New York Post’s Marc Berman.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Smith, Kidd, Wiggins
The Heat were picked as the clear favorite to win the 2013/14 title in this year’s GM survey, writes John Schuhmann of NBA.com. There were a few dissenters with the Spurs and Pacers receiving 6.9% of the vote and the Bulls, Clippers, and Thunder also getting nods. LeBron James was the overwhelming pick to win the MVP trophy and Pelicans big man Anthony Davis was pegged as the breakout player of the year. Magic guard Victor Oladipo was picked to win the Rookie of the Year award and GMs feel that he’ll be the best player out of this class five years from now. Here’s more from around the Association..
- Pistons forward Josh Smith spoke to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld about his decision to leave the Hawks this summer. “It wasn’t as hard as other people saw it,” Smith said. “It was time for me to experience a different thing in my life, a new situation, new opportunity and I’m happy where I’m at.” It also didn’t hurt that Detroit gave him a four-year, $54MM deal.
- David Aldridge of NBA.com sat down with new Nets head coach Jason Kidd for a Q&A. The discussion covered his learning curve and former coaches that the point guard has apologized to now that he has discovered the difficulty of the job.
- Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Dante Exum, Jabari Parker, and Aaron Gordon are all candidates to go No. 1 overall in next June’s draft, in Kyler’s view (Twitter link). Not everyone would agree with that assessment as Wiggins has long been viewed as the top talent in the 2014 class.