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Brandon Bass To Opt Out From Lakers

April 20th, 2016 at 9:04am CST by Chuck Myron

Brandon Bass will turn down his $3.135MM player option for next season and become a free agent this summer, a league source tells Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer (Twitter link). A formal decision isn’t due until June 21st, but it appears the Lakers power forward intends to hit the open market.

The 11th-year veteran experienced statistical declines as he assumed a bench role in L.A. this season after having spent four years primarily as a starter for the Celtics. His 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 20.3 minutes per game were his fewest in each category since the 2009/10 season. Still, he spoke fondly in March of his role as a veteran mentor and won praise from coach Byron Scott, whose chances of remaining with the team appear to be improving.

Celtics coach Brad Stevens said in December that he remains high on Bass, who said shortly before then that he’d planned to play out the rest of his career with Boston until the C’s signed Amir Johnson instead last summer. The Tony Dutt client turned to the Lakers, signing a two-year, $6.135MM contract in July. The Lakers reportedly made Bass available for trades over the winter, but offers were unappealing.

Johnson’s contract for next season is non-guaranteed and Jared Sullinger is a restricted free agent, so the Celtics stand to enter next season thinner at the power forward position. Bass could serve as a mentor for Jordan Mickey, last year’s 33rd pick, but it remains to be seen if Boston will pursue a reunion with Bass.

The Lakers liked Bass’ contract, and with 2014 No. 7 pick Julius Randle still in need of development, it’s conceivable L.A. will give Bass a decent offer to re-sign. Still, he turns 31 later this month, so he probably wants either a short-term deal with a team that would offer more playing time and a chance to up his value or a long-term contract that would secure his future as he ages.

Where do you think Brandon Bass ends up playing next season? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Suns Formally Name Earl Watson Head Coach

April 19th, 2016 at 2:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

Troy Taormina / USA TODAY Sports Images

The Suns have removed the interim tag from Earl Watson‘s title and formally named him head coach, the team announced. Jude LaCava of KSAZ-TV in Phoenix first reported the news, citing team sources, and Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated confirmed it (Twitter links). Watson and the Suns have a deal on a three-year contract, according to John Gambadoro of KMVP-FM in Phoenix (on Twitter), and all three years are guaranteed, as Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group and the Cleveland Plain Dealer hears (Twitter link).

“Earl did a very good job with our team last season after taking over as interim head coach during a challenging time for the organization,” Suns GM Ryan McDonough said. “Earl’s natural leadership qualities and his ability to connect with and motivate our players have stood out throughout his time here in Phoenix. We are excited to see what he can do with a healthy roster after having a full offseason to prepare.”

The news is no shock, as people in the Suns organization and around the league considered him the front-runner for the job as the team prepared to begin its search in earnest last week, according to Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Gambadoro reported Monday that the Suns had interviewed Watson but no one else.

The Suns were reportedly poised to pursue Mike D’Antoni even before they fired Jeff Hornacek, but a reunion with D’Antoni, who won Coach of the Year honors with the Suns in 2005, never materialized. The team eyed Steve Nash, but the former MVP wasn’t interested. Conflicting reports emerged about Phoenix’s interest in Villanova coach Jay Wright, while the team was apparently fond of Dan Majerle and Luke Walton.

The 36-year-old Watson was an active NBA player just two years ago for the 2013/14 Trail Blazers, and he connected with the players in Phoenix, garnering unanimous support. His ability to command respect in the locker room and develop the team’s young talent convinced the Suns to keep him in the head coaching position, The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski writes. McDonough said to Wojnarowski that the Suns came to view him as “the perfect guy for the job.”

“One of the things that stood out was this: Every single player on the roster came to us at the end of the season and said that this is the guy we want as head coach,” McDonough told Wojnarowski. “They said that you’d be making a mistake if you hire a different head coach. That’s not something we expected to hear from [our players] back when we promoted him to interim coach in February, but Earl has shown an ability to connect and motivate our players as well as discipline and hold them accountable.”

Watson has a reputation for having a strong influence on free agents, and that helped build his case for the job, along with his work to rehabilitate the trade value of Markieff Morris, Phoenix’s defensive improvements down the stretch and perhaps his ties to the Klutch Sports Group, the agency that also represents Eric Bledsoe, according to Coro. Soon-to-be free agent power forward Mirza Teletovic cited Watson as he spoke about why he wants to re-sign with the team. The Suns only went 9-24 under Watson, though Bledsoe was already out for the season by the time of the coaching change, and Brandon Knight missed most of the games that Watson coached.

Was Earl Watson the right choice for the Suns? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Kings Fire George Karl

April 14th, 2016 at 12:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Kevin Jairaj / USA TODAY Sports Images

THURSDAY, 12:41pm: The Kings have fired Karl, the team announced.

“After evaluating the team’s performance this season, I determined it was necessary to move forward with a new voice from the head coaching position,” Divac said in the team’s statement. “I have a great deal of respect and admiration for George and his accomplishments throughout his nearly 30 years in the NBA. On behalf of everyone in the Kings organization, I thank him for the contributions made during his time in Sacramento and wish him good fortune in the future.”

Karl released a statement wishing the organization well, as James Ham of CSNCalifornia.com relays (Twitter link).

11:43am: Karl, who’ll coach the team against Houston tonight, is aware of the team’s plan to fire him Thursday, sources told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, who adds that Divac and ownership came to the decision jointly.

WEDNESDAY, 10:53am: The Kings plan to fire George Karl on Thursday, multiple league sources indicated to Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee, who relays the news in the middle of a blog entry. The news comes as no shock, as The Bee’s Ailene Voisin wrote in March that the overwhelming sense in the Kings organization was that Karl would soon be gone, shortly after The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski said the Kings didn’t appear to want the coach beyond season’s end. Karl nearly lost his job in February before the team apparently changed course. Questions surrounding the coach’s job security emerged as early as last June, just four months after the team hired him, and his tumultuous relationship with DeMarcus Cousins has been a matter of close scrutiny.

The front office failed to tell Karl the team’s top players wouldn’t be going on the team’s season-ending road trip, according to Jones. That’s the latest example of a disconnect between the coach and the team. Karl and GM Vlade Divac‘s front office have struggled to communicate, as Jones details, pointing to Divac’s dismissal of assistant coach Vance Walberg in February and the GM’s refusal to suspend Cousins for his tirade against the coach in November. The team later suspended Cousins for one game after another tirade in March. Players didn’t trust Karl’s defensive game-planning and lacked direction on offense while privately complaining that Karl didn’t hold the team’s stars accountable, Jones writes.

Sacramento has a record of 33-48 this season heading into tonight’s final regular season game and 44-67 overall since Karl took the coaching reigns in February 2015. The team entered this season with playoff aspirations after a summer in which it acquired several veterans, including Rajon Rondo, but Karl is the eighth consecutive Kings coach to have failed to take the team to the postseason.

Karl’s up-tempo game bothered management and players alike, USA Today’s Sam Amick wrote earlier this season, also relaying concerns about the coach’s ability to perform given his health issues. A survivor of neck and throat cancer, Karl’s voice is sometimes difficult for players to hear in loud arenas, Amick wrote. Karl missed practice in March to undergo a minor cancer-related procedure.

Sacramento will be on the hook for the $6.5MM that remains on Karl’s contract. His salary for this season is $3.25MM, and it appeared as though that was a stumbling block to a dismissal earlier this season, with Kings minority-share owners reluctant to shell out money for a coach who would no longer be with the team.

The most significant controversies surrounding Karl had to do with Cousins. The coach reportedly negotiated potential trades involving Cousins this past summer behind the back of Divac, whom the Kings hired shortly after Karl arrived. That prompted Cousins to express his displeasure via social media, and while the sides appeared to patch up their differences heading into the season, Cousins continued to appear distrustful of the coach.

What was Karl’s worst mistake as Kings coach? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.

Wizards Fire Randy Wittman

April 14th, 2016 at 8:07am CST by Chuck Myron

Tommy Gilligan / USA TODAY Sports Images

THURSDAY, 8:04am: The firing is official, the Wizards announced.

“There were high internal and external expectations for this team coming into this season based on the momentum we had generated over the previous two years,” Wizards president Ernie Grunfeld said in the team’s statement. “Unfortunately, the inconsistency of the team’s performance and effort, particularly on our home court, did not allow us to meet those expectations and we decided a coaching change was needed.”

Grunfeld nonetheless complimented Wittman on the way out, as the statement conveys.

“Randy should be commended for the job he did in taking over as head coach during a very difficult time for our franchise and for helping to establish a culture and identity that led to success,” Grunfeld said. “This was a very tough decision on a personal level, and we wish Randy and his family the best moving forward.”

11:37pm: The team is prioritizing experience and defense, according to Michael, who casts doubt on D’Antoni’s candidacy (Twitter links). Michael initially referred to Brooks and Tom Thibodeau as the top candidates but followed up minutes later to say Thibodeau is not a serious candidate.

11:28pm: The Wizards are also interested in Sixers assistant Mike D’Antoni, Wojnarowski reports. The team thought about going after Brooks at midseason, and they plan to aggressively court him now, Wojnarowski hears. Brooks is fond of D.C., Zillgitt notes (Twitter link), though he’s a candidate for the Timberwolves and Rockets and is believed to be waiting to see what the Lakers do with Byron Scott, Wojnarowski adds.

11:18pm: The firing has taken place, sources tell Stein (Twitter link), and the Wizards have informed Wittman of his fate, a league source tells The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link), though the team has yet to make any official announcement.

WEDNESDAY, 10:36pm: The Wizards will fire coach Randy Wittman, a source tells Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post (Twitter link). Scott Brooks and Jeff Hornacek are strong candidates to replace him, as The Vertical’s Adrian Wojnarowski hears. (Twitter links). Monty Williams is another name to watch, given his roots in the Washington, D.C. area and his ties to free agent target and D.C. native Kevin Durant, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.

The news about Wittman comes as no shock, as reports throughout Wednesday signaled the move would happen. Michael Scotto of SheridanHoops reported earlier this month that Wittman wasn’t expected to remain. Washington will eat the partial guarantee, of an unknown amount, on the final season of Wittman’s contract, which paid him more than $3MM a year.

Washington finished 41-41 this season but missed the playoffs. Wittman guided the Wizards to back-to-back appearances in the second round of the playoffs the past two years, the first such accomplishment for the franchise since it made consecutive trips to the NBA finals in 1978 and 1979. However, a shift to a more perimeter-oriented attack this season fell flat, and multiple players publicly criticized the coach. It went both ways, as Marcin Gortat stewed for months after Wittman criticized his lack of rebounding after a game in November, according to J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic, who wrote recently that the coach’s relationship with the players had deteriorated this season.

Wittman will finish 178-199 as coach of the Wizards, a tenure that spanned parts of five seasons. He replaced Flip Saunders in the middle of the lockout-shortened 2011/12 campaign.

Wolves Part Ways With Sam Mitchell

April 13th, 2016 at 10:49pm CST by Eddie Scarito

William Hauser / USA TODAY Sports Images

The Timberwolves have officially relieved interim coach Sam Mitchell of his duties, effective immediately, the team announced. Minnesota will begin its search for a new head coach and head of basketball operations posthaste. The news was first relayed by Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune (on Twitter). Milt Newton remains the team’s GM for now.

“The future of the Minnesota Timberwolves has never been brighter,” team owner Glen Taylor said in the official release. “It’s important that we find the best leaders to shape our talented team and help them realize their full potential. We owe it to our fans, our community and to our players to ensure our team has the best possible chance at winning an NBA title.”

“I would like to thank both Sam and Milt for a good job under very difficult circumstances in guiding our team this season,” Taylor continued. “They were put in a historically challenging position as no team in NBA history has had an active head coach pass away. Both men provided our team with continuity and direction for the 2015/16 season. We will always be grateful to Sam for his contributions this season and wish him and his family the best in the future.”

Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical relayed earlier today that Mitchell was to be part of the search process for a new coach, but that apparently isn’t the case since the team was so quick to cut ties with Mitchell after tonight’s 144-109 drubbing of New Orleans. Taylor has hired the search firm Korn Ferry to help in the hunt for a new coach as well as a new president of basketball operations, though the team may elect to hire one person for both slots, as Wojnarowski and Jon Krawczynski of The Associated Press reported. The Wolves coaching targets reportedly include Grizzlies coach Dave Joerger, Jeff Van Gundy, Tom Thibodeau and Scott Brooks.

Minnesota went just 29-53 this season under Mitchell, but that was a significant improvement over last season’s 16-66 record, and not much was expected from the youthful roster despite the presence of Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, the last two No. 1 overall picks. The team has shown promise and Towns has swept the league’s Rookie of the Month honors thus far. Mitchell was to have continued serving as an assistant coach this season but took the head coaching reigns in September while Saunders suffered complications from cancer treatment. Saunders died in October, a few days before opening night.

Pistons Sign Lorenzo Brown To Two-Year Deal

April 13th, 2016 at 1:29pm CST by Chuck Myron

1:29pm: The signing is official, the team announced.

7:53am: The Pistons plan to re-sign point guard Lorenzo Brown to a contract that encompasses tonight’s regular season finale against Cleveland, the playoffs and a team option for next season, league sources tell Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). It’s a move that hints at some concern regarding an abdominal strain that kept Reggie Jackson from playing in Tuesday’s loss to Miami, since coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said last week that he didn’t plan to re-sign Brown and intended to keep an open roster spot, barring injury. Van Gundy nonetheless said Tuesday that he wasn’t too worried about Jackson’s availability for the start of the playoffs in spite of the ab issue, MLive’s Aaron McMann notes.

Brown didn’t appear in a game for the Pistons on either of the 10-day contracts he signed last month. Van Gundy referred to the first 10-day deal with Brown as an insurance move, as Jackson was dealing with a viral issue while third-stringer Spencer Dinwiddie recovered from a deep bone bruise in his ankle. Brown’s last NBA action came in January, when he was on two 10-days with the Suns. The 25-year-old averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 assists and 1.1 turnovers in 7.6 minutes per game across eight appearances with Phoenix. He spent much of the season with Detroit’s D-League affiliate, putting up 18.3 points, 5.8 assists and 2.9 turnovers in 33.3 minutes per game. The relationship between the Pistons and the former N.C. State standout, who was the 52nd pick in the 2013 draft, dates to the 2014 preseason, when Brown was on Detroit’s NBA roster for training camp.

The latest deal between the Pistons and Brown figures to be worth $5,572 for the balance of this season, plus whatever playoff share Brown receives, assuming it’s a minimum-salary arrangement, as would be standard for this type of signing. Next season’s minimum for Brown is $1,015,696, though a chance exists that it’s a non-guaranteed salary rather than a true team option.

Cavs Sign Dahntay Jones

April 13th, 2016 at 10:06am CST by Chuck Myron

The Cavs have signed veteran swingman Dahntay Jones for tonight’s regular season finale and the playoffs, the team announced via press release. The team had an open roster spot, so no corresponding move is necessary. Cleveland was reportedly unlikely to fill the vacancy, so the signing appears to be a reversal of plans, perhaps related to concern regarding the injured Mo Williams, who’s traveling to New York today for further examination on his sore left knee, as Chris Haynes of the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the Northeast Ohio Media Group reports.

Jones, 35, spent most of the season with the D-League affiliate of the Pistons following a preseason stint with the Nets, who waived him before opening night. The Cavs will face the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs.

The 11-year NBA veteran played a bit role on the Clippers last season, averaging less than a point per game in 33 appearances. The Clippers were apparently fond of Jones for his contribution to team chemistry, so it’s conceivable that played a role in Cleveland’s decision, given the pressure surrounding the Cavs. Still, Jones proved he still has on-court value during his time in the D-League this season, sticking 41.2% of his 3-pointers. He averaged 15.7 points, but he made his reputation in the NBA as a stout defender.

Cleveland is limited to the minimum salary, so the deal figures to cost the Cavs $26,467 in salary and luxury tax payments. Jones is in line to see $8,819 plus a playoff share.

Heat Sign Dorell Wright

April 12th, 2016 at 10:24am CST by Chuck Myron

10:24am: The signing is finally official, the team announced (Twitter link). A mistake involving either spelling, translation or both on the FIBA clearance paperwork caused the delay, tweets Ethan Skolnick of the Miami Herald.

TUESDAY, 9:43am: Winderman confirms FIBA clearance is the holdup (Twitter link).

MONDAY, 1:45pm: The Heat will sign Dorell Wright, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. The move has been widely expected, as Winderman and Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link) have both written in the wake of this weekend’s deal with rookie point guard Briante Weber, which seemed to preclude the idea that veteran point guard John Lucas III would sign, as Winderman observed then (Twitter link). Wright and the Heat were reportedly set to meet in recent days about the possibility of a deal.

Winderman suggests that complications stemming from Wright’s deal to play in China earlier this season have held up an official signing with the Heat. The Chinese season is over, so Wright is no longer under contract, but FIBA clearance is required whenever a player jumps from one country to another to play.

In any case, the Heat have the financial flexibility to sign Wright to either a prorated minimum-salary deal or a slightly more lucrative one that encompasses a portion of the prorated mid-level exception. The mid-level exception contract could run three years and be worth as much as $33,751 without the Heat going over the tax line and incurring repeat-offender penalties. Wright has said he’d like a multiyear deal.

The 30-year-old Wright averaged 24.3 points in 30.8 minutes per game this season for North Control Beijing, the team formerly known as the Chongqing Dragons. The 11-year NBA veteran went to China after his playing time dipped in two seasons with the Trail Blazers, for whom he saw just 12.3 minutes per game in 48 regular season appearances last year.

Wright has a history with Miami, which drafted him out of high school in 2004 and had him for the first six seasons of his NBA career, and he’s close with Dwyane Wade. The addition of Wright would give the Heat a full 15-man roster heading into the playoffs.

Celtics Sign John Holland

April 11th, 2016 at 3:54pm CST by Chuck Myron

3:54pm: The signing has formally taken place, the team announced (Twitter link). Holland will see $9,266 this season, not including his playoff share, and a non-guaranteed $874,636 next season, provided he signed for the minimum, as is standard for midseason signees.

1:37pm: The deal would cover the rest of 2015/16 plus next season, and next season’s salary would be non-guaranteed, league sources tell Charania (Twitter link).

1:00pm: The Celtics plan to sign former Boston University swingman John Holland into their open roster spot, reports Shams Charania of The Vertical (Twitter link). The deal is contingent upon him passing a physical, notes Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). The 27-year-old was with the Spurs in the 2014 preseason and has been playing with the D-League affiliate of the Cavaliers this season.

The contract would cover the playoffs, and the Celtics had a desire to carry a full 15-man roster in the postseason in case of injury, Himmelsbach tweets. Coach Brad Stevens said recently the team would prefer a versatile forward, seemingly a hint that former 10-day signee Coty Clarke might return, but instead the team is going with Holland, who is 6’5″ and can play two-guard and small forward but would be significantly undersized at power forward.

Holland averaged 16.0 points in 30.2 minutes per game with 36.9% shooting in 37 regular season appearances with the D-League Canton Charge this season, and he turned it up in two playoff games last week, making 10 of 17 total 3-point attempts and averaging 28.5 points.

It’s unclear whether the deal would carry into next season. Either way, he’d likely receive a prorated rookie minimum salary this season plus a share of the team’s playoff earnings.

Grizzlies Sign Bryce Cotton For Rest Of Season

April 11th, 2016 at 11:21am CST by Chuck Myron

11:21am: Cotton won’t be on the playoff roster, as Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal clarifies (Twitter link).

11:07am: The Grizzlies have signed Bryce Cotton for the rest of the season, the team announced via press release. The move, which comes after Cotton’s 10-day contract expired Saturday, gives Memphis 16 players, one over the normal limit. The NBA allowed the extra roster spot via hardship, the Grizzlies say, though it’s unclear if the league will allow Cotton to take part in the playoffs.

Rest-of-season deals normally carry into the postseason, but the press release from the Grizzlies states that he’s signed for the remainder of the regular season and doesn’t mention the playoffs. The team was exploring the possibility of having extra roster spots in the playoffs, but it didn’t seem as though the league would allow it, as Chris Herrington of The Commercial Appeal wrote last week, shortly before the team waived Ryan Hollins in a move that appeared to signal the NBA wouldn’t provide hardship exceptions for the postseason.

Injuries have beset Memphis this season, leading to the extra roster spots and a flurry of moves. Marc Gasol is out for the season, and the same appears to be true for Mike Conley, Brandan Wright and Jordan Adams. Tony Allen missed Saturday’s game with a sore left hamstring. Memphis has had an NBA-record 28 players at one point or another this season.

Cotton has appeared in three games, but for less than a minute each time. The 23-year-old point guard also made it into three games with the Suns earlier this season before they released him in January. He began this past fall with the Jazz, who waived him in October, about a week shy of opening night.

His new deal with the Grizzlies will have to be a prorated minimum-salary arrangement, since that’s all Memphis has left to give. So, it’ll be worth $14,913, presuming he formally signed the contract today.

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