Raptors Confident In Re-Signing Ibaka; Jonas On Block?
- Within a larger piece about the draft, Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun suggests the Raptors are confident about their chances to re-sign Serge Ibaka in free agency, which could make Jonas Valanciunas expendable in the right deal.
Jimmy Butler Warned Not To Come To Cleveland?
2:38pm: A team source tells Amico Hoops that there’s no truth to the idea that members of the Cavs are telling Butler it’s in his best interest not to come to Cleveland.
11:28am: Several Cavaliers players have advised Bulls star Jimmy Butler to resist any trade to Cleveland, according to Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times.
Unidentified players, who had been encouraging Butler to seek a deal to the Cavs, are now telling him to stay away from the sudden chaos in the organization after the decision not to re-sign GM David Griffin.
Butler had planned to ask Bulls GM Gar Forman and VP of basketball operations John Paxson to find a way to get him to Cleveland, Cowley reports. However, he apparently changed his mind Tuesday afternoon after being contacted by a few Cavaliers.
There are no other teams that Butler wants to join, including the Celtics, according to Cowley, and Chicago’s front office has set an asking price so high that it makes a deal virtually impossible.
Dwyane Wade‘s decision on Tuesday to opt in next season for $23.8MM is also related to the situation in Cleveland, Cowley states. Because Wade is a close friend of LeBron James, he understands how angry James is about Griffin’s departure and knew that Butler is likely to remain a Bull.
Cowley also reports a likely breakup of “The Three Alphas” in Chicago, with Butler and Wade pushing for an alternative to Rajon Rondo. While they like Rondo personally, both stars would prefer a point guard who can shoot from the outside to help space the court.
Rockets Target Paul, Griffin, Millsap, Lowry
1:41pm: In an effort to create cap space, the Rockets are making Beverley, Anderson and Lou Williams all available in trades, Stein writes in a full story. Williams will make $7MM next season in the final year of his contract.
12:33pm: The Rockets will chase several of the top free agents on the market this summer, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Sources tell Stein that Houston plans to pursue Chris Paul, Blake Griffin, Paul Millsap and Kyle Lowry.
Paul, who is expected to opt out of a nearly $24.3MM salary, will be the top point guard on the market and is rumored to have strong interest from the Spurs, among others. Griffin is expected to use an early termination option and give up a salary of nearly $21.4MM. The Hawks are reluctant to offer Millsap a maximum deal and have reportedly talked to other teams about a sign-and-trade. Lowry is a former Rocket who was traded to Toronto in 2012.
All four players will be seeking max offers, which mean the Rockets, who currently have a maximum of $11.7MM to operate with, will have to clear significant cap room. Houston reportedly is seeking to trade starting guard Patrick Beverley, which would save about $5.5MM and create a backcourt opening for Paul or Lowry. Finding a taker for Ryan Anderson (nearly $19.6MM next season) or Eric Gordon (more than $12.9MM) would open a lot more.
Atlantic Notes: Ainge, Celtics, Morrison, Raptors
In an interesting piece devoted to what Danny Ainge and the Celtics might do next, Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald writes that the team’s trade with the Sixers doesn’t necessarily make a ton of sense to him and that Boston seems hardly better equipped to pull off a trade for a star veteran.
Still, Bulpett preaches patience. After all, the last time Bulpett had this feeling of a wasted trade – following the acquisition of Ray Allen – Ainge went ahead and dealt for Kevin Garnett, rendering that previous move more meaningful. In his piece, Bulpett also speculates that there must have been something about Markelle Fultz that gave Boston pause, since, on the surface, he is exactly the type of player the team needs.
Here’s more from the Atlantic division:
- The Celtics have named Scott Morrison an assistant coach for the 2017/18 season, says Chris Reichert of FanSided’s The Step Back (link via Twitter). Morrison had been coach of the Maine Red Claws in the NBA Development League.
- Raptors GM Masai Ujiri said that there are approximately five different paths or directions the front office has studied and is prepared to take depending on how free agency turns out, tweets Josh Lewenberg of TSN 1050.
- Lewenberg also tweets that Ujiri says he’s “open-minded” with his use of the 23rd overall pick. He does not expect the Raptors trade the pick, but would consider drafting a project, stashing a prospect, or nabbing a more NBA-ready player.
Free Agent Rumors: Lowry, Ginobili, Teague, Sixers
In the wake of a report that cast some doubts on whether Kyle Lowry intends to re-sign with the Raptors, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News examines the point guard’s situation, suggesting that Lowry returning to Toronto is still the most likely outcome. However, Deveney pointed to a couple other teams as potential Lowry suitors.
Sources have indicated to Deveney that there’s a chance the Knicks will pursue Lowry, though if the 31-year-old wants to join a contending team, that may take New York out of the equation. According to Deveney, the Nuggets may be another team to watch, since they have cap room necessary to make a splash and could use a long-term solution at the point. They’ve also shown a willingness to go after impact players — I suggested last week that the Nuggets may be a good bet to pursue a free agent point guard.
Meanwhile, Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times reports that Jimmy Butler “has been in [Lowry’s] ear” about joining the Bulls since the two played together for Team USA. A Bulls source tells Cowley that Butler and Dwyane Wade would prefer to play with a point guard who can space the floor better than Rajon Rondo, and Lowry would certainly fit that bill. I don’t think the Bulls signing Lowry is a very realistic scenario, but I also didn’t expect the club to add Wade and Rondo a year ago, so we’ll see how the offseason plays out.
Here are a few other free agent notes from around the NBA:
- Manu Ginobili, who is an unrestricted free agent this summer, has yet to make a final decision on his future. However, there have been positive indications that he’s leaning toward returning to the Spurs for another year, league sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical.
- Pacers president Kevin Pritchard is mulling the possibility of having Lance Stephenson run the point in Indiana if the team embarks on a rebuild, tweets Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star. While Doyel doesn’t come out and say it, that wouldn’t be a good sign for Jeff Teague‘s odds of re-signing with the Pacers this offseason.
- Speaking to reporters on Monday, Sixers president Bryan Colangelo downplayed the idea of the Sixers foraying into free agency much this summer, suggesting the club wants to maintain maximum flexibility for 2018, when its core is “more ready” (Twitter link via Derek Bodner).
- Kincade Upstill of The Deseret News explores possible next steps for the Jazz if Gordon Hayward departs in free agency next month.
Latest On Kyle Lowry, Raptors
10:33am: Speaking today to reporters, Raptors president Masai Ujiri said Lowry has told him he wants to stay in Toronto and “I can only believe what he tells me” (Twitter link via Josh Lewenberg of TSN 1050). Sportsnet’s Michael Grange adds (via Twitter) that Ujiri appears confident Lowry has “bought in,” but the dollars and years will need to be right for the relationship between the two sides to continue.
8:12am: Kyle Lowry quickly responded on Monday night to a report suggesting that other teams were being informed in mid-May that the veteran point guard had “zero interest” in re-signing with the Raptors. In a tweet, Lowry referred to the column from Bruce Arthur of The Toronto Star as “B.S.”
“I don’t do this ever but: Don’t believe what you hear!!” Lowry wrote. “Especially if it didn’t come from me, and that B.S. FOR SURE didn’t come from me.”
According to Arthur, multiple league sources say that Lowry “has been grumbling about dissatisfaction with the Raptors for months.” Arthur suggests that the Raptors don’t intend to offer Lowry a five-year deal, but adds that even if the team were willing to put a five-year, maximum salary offer on the table, the point guard’s stance in mid-May was that it wouldn’t keep him in Toronto.
Despite these seemingly explosive allegations, Arthur’s column ends by hinting that the Raptors and Lowry may yet work something out. The All-Star point guard is somewhat emotional, and has publicly expressed dissatisfaction with some coaching decisions in the past, even as he talks about how much he enjoys the city and the team. So the claim that he has been “grumbling” for months isn’t necessarily a bombshell.
Additionally, mid-May was right after the Raptors were unceremoniously swept out of the playoffs by Cleveland, with Lowry missing the series’ last two games, so it makes sense that he would be most frustrated with his situation at that point. Talk of blowing up the Raptors’ roster was impossible to avoid in the wake of the team’s playoff exit, but has quieted down somewhat in recent weeks.
With the Sixers having moved up in this year’s draft to nab Markelle Fultz, a potentially serious suitor for Lowry appears to be out of the mix, and there simply aren’t that many great fits for the veteran Raptor around the NBA. Most teams with cap room and a need at point guard are lottery clubs, and Lowry prefers to join a contender. But playoff clubs with a hole at the position would need to move things around to fit in Lowry, and there’s no guarantee they could make him a better pitch than the Raptors could — even if Toronto isn’t willing to go up to five years.
Atlantic Notes: Ntilikina, Lowry, Pasecniks, Goodwin
Clarence Gaines Jr., the closest advisor to Knicks president Phil Jackson, is the latest team official to get a first-hand look at Frank Ntilikina, reports Marc Berman of The New York Post. Jackson’s preference for big guards may be enough for New York to draft Ntilikina at No. 8, although Berman notes that North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr. and Kentucky’s Malik Monk both have supporters in the front office. Ntilikina is 6’5″ with a 7-foot wingspan, a reputation for defensive intensity and a high basketball IQ. Jackson has developed a liking for European prospects after his success with Kristaps Porzingis and Willy Hernangomez. Ntilikina’s case isn’t helped by his modest numbers — 5.2 points and 1.2 assists in about 18 minutes per game in the French League — but he says he is becoming a more aggressive player.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Saturday’s trade between the Sixers and Celtics removes a potential destination for Raptors free agent Kyle Lowry, writes Ryan Wolstat of The Toronto Sun. Philadelphia had been considered a threat to sign Lowry because it’s his hometown and the Sixers have considerable cap space. But with point guard Markelle Fultz headed to Philadelphia, there’s no need to spend money on Lowry.
- The Nets may gamble on Latvian star Anzejs Pasecniks with one of their two picks late in the first round, according to Brian Lewis of The New York Post. A former teammate of Porzingis, the 7-foot-2, 226-pound center will have to develop his body to handle the NBA game. “Pasecniks is one of those guys that’d be perfect for a team with multiple [first-round] picks. Brooklyn’s got multiple picks,” said ESPN international analyst Fran Fraschilla. “Portland, and maybe even Utah may have multiple picks. He’s one of those guys that you could draft [and stash] him. Although he’s 21 and he’s anxious to get over here and start his NBA career.”
- Brooklyn guard Archie Goodwin is a rare player with four years of experience who is volunteering for Summer League, tweets NetsDaily. Goodwin played briefly for the Pelicans and Nets this season, but spent most of the year in the D-League. He is hoping to secure a spot on the team after signing a two-year deal in April that contains several guarantee dates.
Atlantic Notes: Baker, NBA Pre-Draft Workouts
The Knicks have the eight overall pick in the NBA Draft next week and restricted free agent Ron Baker told Marc Berman of the New York Post that defense should be the team’s main priority.
The Wichita State product was one of the Knicks’ few positives this past season, showing energy, tenacity, and ability on both sides of the ball. Baker was one of the few people to receive praise from team president Phil Jackson — who will try to secure the best player possible next week.
“Obviously I think our defense was not very good last year,’’ Baker said. “We gave up a lot of points, especially in transition. I think that would be a start for us, getting guys who can defend. That’s what my motto’s been. I felt we had plenty of scorers on our team when healthy. Defense is probably where we should lean on as a team.”
Baker has received interest around the league but the Knicks can match any offer since he’s a RFA. The 24-year-old is also unsure if he’ll play in the Summer League even though the Knicks want him to.
Here are additional notes around the Atlantic Division:
- Former Iona forward Jordan Washington worked out for the Nets yesterday, according to Adam Zagoria of Zags Blog (via Twitter).
- The Sixers will conduct pre-draft workouts with the following players today: Sterling Brown (SMU), Illimane Diop (Baskonia), Damonte Dodd (Maryland), Alpha Kaba (Mega Leks), Luke Kornet (Vanderbilt), and Nazareth Mitrou-Long (Iowa State), per the team’s official website.
- Holly MacKenzie of Raptors.com provides a roundup of the Raptors‘ pre-draft workouts and other statistics.
- Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun has a feature on John Jenkins, a former Hawks draft pick who recently worked out with the Raptors.
Atlantic Notes: James, Celtics, Pre-Draft Workouts
Rumors are swirling that LeBron James will look to leave Cleveland for a second time after next season and potentially head out west. If he is not on the Cavaliers after 2017/18, James’ departure would have a domino effect across the league. A. Sherrod Blakely joined Mike Felger and Gary Tanguay at CSN New England to discuss Celtics general manager Danny Ainge‘s potential moves if James heads out West and weakens the Eastern Conference.
Blakely believes that no matter James’ future, Ainge should not focus on what’s going around the league, focusing instead on his own team. The Celtics have the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA Draft and are coming off a year where they were the first seed in the East. The Celtics have their own issues to address, including the impending free agency of Isaiah Thomas, Marcus Smart, and others.
In any case, the Celtics are in the best position of any Eastern Conference team to unseat the Cavaliers as the class of division and a James departure after next season only strengthens that.
Here are other notes from around the Atlantic Division:
- Bobby Marks of The Vertical previewed the Celtics‘ offseason agenda and gave three key points the team should focus on. Marks feels Boston needs to properly allocate its cap space and not be tempted by dealing its first overall pick on a rental player such as Paul George, while being open-minded on the trade market.
- The Raptors announced a two-day free agent camp starting today in which 23 free agents will work out for the team. Some notable names on the list include former Knicks forward Cleanthony Early, former Kings and Rockets forward Tyler Honeycutt, and former NBA D-League player Damien Inglis.
- Cody Taylor of Basketball Insiders (via Twitter) provided a list of players the Nets worked out today, including Jamel Artis, Milton Doyle, Isaac Humphries, Alpha Kaba, L.J. Peak and Sindarius Thornwell.
- The 76ers announced the following players will particpate in a pre-draft workout on Friday morning: Jamel Artis (Pittsburgh); Amida Brimah (Connecticut); Isaac Humphries (Kentucky); London Perrantes (Virginia); Davon Reed (Miami); and Jeremy Senglin (Weber State).
Draft Notes: Josh Jackson, Fultz, Smith Jr., Heat
Kansas forward Josh Jackson paid a visit to Kings today, but didn’t go through a workout, tweets Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee. Jackson is expected to be one of the first players selected next week and probably won’t be around for Sacramento’s pick at No. 5. There have been rumors that the Kings would like to move up, but a report today said they aren’t willing to give the Sixers the fifth and 10th picks to get No. 3.
There’s more from a full day of draft workouts:
- Washington’s Markelle Fultz, projected as the top pick, has decided not to visit the Kings, according to Voisin (Twitter link).
- Paolo Uggetti of The Ringer examines which top three team might have given Jackson a guarantee. A report Monday by John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 suggested that either the Celtics, Lakers or Sixers has promised to take Jackson if he’s still on the board when their pick comes up. Jackson canceled a workout this week with Boston and agreed to a second session in L.A.
- Along with a second workout for Lonzo Ball, the Lakers will audition six other players on Friday, tweets Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News. Their names have not been released.
- North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith Jr. may be in danger of slipping on draft night, tweets Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer. However, some members of Philadelphia’s front office are intrigued by Smith and the team may trade down to get him, posts Ian Begley on ESPN Now.
- UCLA’s T.J. Leaf will visit Miami on Thursday to work out for the Heat, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. The Heat see him as a stretch four who can hit 3-pointers and rebound and will give him serious consideration with their No. 14 pick, Jackson adds.
- Duke’s Harry Giles canceled a workout with the Heat that was scheduled for Thursday, Jackson relays in the same story.
- Kentucky’s Bam Adebayo will be part of a group workout for the Nuggets on Friday, tweets Michael Scotto of Basketball Insiders.
- The Nuggets will host six players Thursday, the team announced in an email. Participating will be Florida’s Canyon Barry, Air Force’s Hayden Graham, Miami’s Kamari Murphy, Baylor’s Johnathan Motley, Arizona’s Kobi Simmons and Gonzaga’s Nigel Williams-Goss.
- Wisconsin’s Bronson Koenig, who has upcoming sessions with the Lakers and Warriors, is impressing teams with his shooting, Scotto relays (Twitter link).
- Creighton’s Cole Huff has workouts set for the Celtics on Thursday and the Lakers on Monday, tweets Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.
- North Carolina’s Justin Jackson has workouts lined up with the Knicks, Hornets, Bucks and Trail Blazers, according to Begley.
- Jackson will be part of a Pacers workout Thursday, along with Clemson’s Jaron Blossomgame, Houston’s Damyean Dotson, Marquette’s Luke Fischer, Vanderbilt’s Luke Kornet and Louisville’s Donovan Mitchell, the team announced on its website.
- Northeastern’s T.J. Williams has an upcoming workout with the Knicks and has already auditioned for the Jazz, Lakers, Clippers, Timberwolves and Raptors, Begley writes in a separate piece.
- Iowa’s Peter Jok, IUPUI’s Darell Combs, Syracuse’s Andrew White III, Connecticut’s Amida Brimah, Siena’s Marquis Wright and Lehigh’s Tim Kempton Jr. will work out Thursday for the Wizards, the team announced on its official blog.
- The Hawks hosted six players for a workout earlier today, according to the team. Participants were Kempton, California’s Jabari Bird, Loyola-Chicago’s Milton Doyle, Gonzaga’s Przemek Karnowski, Middle Tennessee State’s Reggie Upshaw and Colorado’s Derrick White.
- Six players worked out today for the Jazz, the team tweeted. On hand were Indiana’s James Blackmon, Dayton’s Charles Cooke, Weber State’s Jeremy Senglin, Eastern Washington’s Jake Wiley, Alabama’s Jimmie Taylor and Texas A&M CC’s Rashawn Thomas.