Jazz Sign Ian Clark
JULY 29TH: The Jazz have officially signed Clark, the team announced today in a press release.
JULY 24TH: The Jazz have agreed to sign Las Vegas Summer League title game MVP Ian Clark, agent Bill Duffy tells USA Today's Jeff Zillgitt (Twitter link). It's a two-year deal with a team option on the final season. Zillgitt reported yesterday that the Jazz, as well as the Warriors and Trail Blazers, had their eye on Clark after his 33-point performance for Golden State in Monday's Vegas summer league championship game.
Clark averaged 12.4 points on 48.5% shooting from behind the arc for the Warriors in Las Vegas, while putting up 16.4 PPG and 42.9% three-point shooting for the Heat's team in the Orlando Summer League. The Heat wanted to have him on their Vegas team, too, but the Warriors scooped him up, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel (Twitter link).
The accuracy was no fluke for the 6'3" shooting guard, who knocked down 42.6% of his three-point attempts in four years at Belmont. Still, he went undrafted, and he used the summer leagues to boost his stock. Clark probably won't earn much more than the minimum, but the Jazz still have some cap space available, so perhaps they simply outbid his other suitors.
Potential Destinations For Gustavo Ayon
Before Gustavo Ayon's 2013/14 contract could become fully guaranteed yesterday, the Bucks made a somewhat surprising decision, electing to release him and avoid paying his modest $1.5MM salary. Ayon isn't a star, or even a starter, but he has size (6'10") and has exhibited an ability to be productive and efficient (15.1 PER) in limited playing time in his first two NBA seasons. As ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton tweeted last night, the 25-year-old would make a good, cheap fourth or fifth big man for many teams around the league.
Ayon is currently on waivers, set to become a free agent this weekend if he goes unclaimed. Considering we recently saw promising big man Bernard James clear waivers without any teams placing a claim, it's certainly not a lock that any club claims Ayon — particularly since his $1.5MM salary would be fully guaranteed for a team that grabbed him off waivers.
Still, let's assume that a number of teams are at least mulling the possibility of placing a claim, if not entirely committed to the move quite yet. Ayon isn't on a minimum-salary contract, which means not every NBA team is able to submit a claim. As we note in our glossary entry on the waiver process, only teams with at least $1.5MM in cap space or a traded player exception worth $1.5MM+ are eligible to claim Ayon.
Keeping those criteria in mind, and recalling that if two or more teams place a claim, the club with the worst record last season gets first priority, here are the teams who could claim Ayon, in order of priority:
- Charlotte Bobcats: Renouncing Gerald Henderson would be necessary to place a claim on Ayon, so the Bobcats probably won't be in the mix.
- Cleveland Cavaliers: Like the Bobcats, the Cavs would have to make a corresponding move (waiving C.J. Miles' non-guaranteed contract) to create the necessary room for Ayon, so they're not a likely suitor.
- Philadelphia 76ers: The 76ers still appear to have more than $11MM in cap room, per Mark Deeks of ShamSports.
- Utah Jazz: Within the same piece, Deeks notes that the Jazz should still be about $2.4MM below the cap, even without making additional cap-clearing moves.
- Atlanta Hawks: The Hawks have about $1.8MM in space, according to Deeks, and could create more by waiving their non-guaranteed players. That figure doesn't take into account Pero Antic's new deal with the team though.
- Golden State Warriors: Having created a pair trade exceptions in their three-way deal with the Nuggets and Jazz, the Warriors could use the smaller of the two ($4MM) to claim Ayon.
- Los Angeles Clippers: The Clippers created a TPE worth Eric Bledsoe's salary (about $2.6MM) in the trade that sent him to the Suns.
- Memphis Grizzlies: The Grizzlies have stockpiled a number of TPEs, but the $2.08MM exception created in last January's deal with the Cavs would make the most sense for claiming Ayon.
- Denver Nuggets: In the aforementioned three-way deal with Golden State and Utah, the Nuggets created a trade exception worth nearly $10MM.
- Oklahoma City Thunder: OKC has a pair of TPEs large enough to absorb Ayon — one was created when they moved Eric Maynor, while the more recent one came as a result of signing-and-trading Kevin Martin.
Even though 10 teams can technically place a waiver claim on Ayon, there's no guarantee that any of them actually will. Pelton thinks the Sixers, Jazz, Warriors, and Clippers represent the likeliest candidates for a claim, and I agree with him.
Philadelphia and Utah have room to add salary (in the Sixers' case, they need to add salary to reach the cap floor) and are heading into rebuilding years, which would allow them to take a long look at Ayon. Meanwhile, the Warriors and Clippers could each use one more big man, and Ayon's inexpensive salary wouldn't take Golden State into tax territory.
If Ayon goes unclaimed, I imagine he'd strongly consider returning overseas, since he'd at least have a chance to earn more playing time there. Don't be surprised to see one of the 10 NBA teams above take a shot on him though.
This post originally listed the Magic as a team eligible to claim Ayon, but because Orlando traded him in February, the club can't claim or re-sign him until the one-year anniversary of the deal.
Western Notes: Jazz, Hornacek, Lillard
Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune underscores the Jazz' competitive disadvantage in having to share a D-League affiliate with four other NBA teams, considering how each team can only have so much individual expectations. He also notes that NBA teams with single affiliation hire their own coaches, provide support and direct on-court decisions, whereas the Jazz have to leave things up to the discretion of their independently owned D-League team. Should the ideal opportunity present itself, Oram mentions that Jazz president Randy Rigby would be interested in putting an expansion development league team in St. George, Utah, though that possibility still remains a dream scenario for now.
Here are some more news and notes out of the Western Conference tonight:
- Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes that DeMarcus Cousins is still waiting to hear from Shaq, who pledged last month that he would "make (him) the best big man in the game."
- Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek made quite an impression on the players he led during this month's summer competition, writes Matt Petersen of Suns.com. In a separate piece, Petersen, Brad Faye, and Ben York of Suns.com give their thoughts on who and what stood out for them the most this month in Las Vegas.
- Trail Blazers standout Damian Lillard reflects on his successful rookie campaign and discusses his thoughts on the team going into next year (Alex Kennedy of Hoopsworld).
- Kings.com takes an in-depth look at Ben McLemore's first day in the NBA summer league (video link).
Western Notes: Wolves, Gomes, Mavs, Clark
Grantland's Zach Lowe wrote earlier today that there's about a "99.9999%" chance that the Timberwolves work out a deal to bring back Nikola Pekovic. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune also suggests that it's just a matter of time, tweeting that he thinks a deal will be completed next week. Whether or not the Wolves re-sign Pekovic, and it seems like a lock that they will, don't expect the team to have any interest in Greg Oden, says Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter). According to Wolfson, David Kahn had interest in Oden, but Flip Saunders is passing on the former first overall pick.
Here are a few more items from out of the Western Conference:
- Ryan Gomes, who says he hopes to be a coach one day, has worked out for the Thunder and Spurs as he weighs his options for the upcoming season, he tells Nick Greene of the Hartford Courant.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban appeared on KESN-FM in Dallas to follow up on his comments about the team potentially being better off without Dwight Howard, and the Dallas Morning News has the details.
- Undrafted free agent guard Ian Clark put up 33 points in the Warriors' championship win at the Las Vegas Summer League, and is drawing interest from NBA teams, as Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes. Zillgitt names the Warriors, Trail Blazers, and Jazz as clubs eyeing Clark.
- A strong Summer League performance also has NBA teams eyeing Dionte Christmas, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com. The Suns are among the clubs with interest.
Lowe’s Latest: Clippers, Gay, Pekovic, Heat
In his latest lengthy piece for Grantland.com, Zach Lowe evaluates the offseason so far for all 30 NBA teams, writing that the Rockets stand alone as the only club to significantly improve without sacrificing future assets or flexibility. It's worth reading Lowe's entire piece, especially if you're curious to find out what he had to say about your favorite team. But here are a few notable tidbits from the story:
- The Clippers recognize that even after adding free agents Ryan Hollins and Byron Mullens, the team needs another big man, and will likely sign one soon.
- Lowe notes that the Raptors could be in position to clear a chunk of cap space next summer, when Rudy Gay's and Kyle Lowry's contracts could expire. According to Lowe, the Raps privately expressed a belief when they traded for Gay last season that he'd likely opt out next summer in search of a longer-term deal, rather than exercising his 2014/15 player option.
- While the Jazz have taken some criticism for letting Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap walk rather than trying to flip them at the trade deadline for something of value, Lowe says Utah would have been willing to move either player last February if the club could have landed a first-round pick and avoided taking on long-term money.
- There's some confusion among rival executives about why the Lakers are bothering with players like Chris Kaman and Nick Young, rather than going into full-blown tank mode, says Lowe.
- Among the executives Lowe spoke to in Las Vegas, a couple of the most common questions involved what the Mavericks' and Bucks' plans are, since neither team seems to have a clear-cut direction.
- The Timberwolves are a "99.9999% bet" to re-sign Nikola Pekovic at a fair number, according to Lowe.
- Don't expect the Heat to be passive about LeBron James' potential 2014 free agency, says Lowe, adding that Pat Riley and the front office "won't promise him the same aging and top-heavy roster."
- The Spurs are likely one of the teams unhappy about Andrei Kirilenko's new deal with the Nets, since San Antonio tried to acquire the Russian via sign-and-trade after being told he wouldn't sign for mid-level money.
Northwest Notes: Pekovic, Robinson, Jazz
The Timberwolves have made it known that they intend to match any offer to restricted free agent Nikola Pekovic, but surprisingly no one has been willing to test their willingness to do so, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. Ingram argues that the Wolves already have a couple of players in Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio who expect to be max players in the near future, so it would at least be worth a try for a rival club. Here's more out of the Northwest Division..
- Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities speculates (via Twitter) that Pekovic's camp may be seeking a fifth year in negotiations with the Timberwolves. Flip Saunders is unlikely to go higher than four years though, according to Wolfson.
- More from Ingram, who writes that even though Nate Robinson isn't the type of player that is going to lead his team to the NBA Finals, he can still be a relentless spark plug for the Nuggets off of the bench. Robinson also comes at a bargain price, getting a two-year deal worth a little over $4MM.
- Guard John Lucas III told reporters, including Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter), that he has known GM Dennis Lindsey since he was "eight or nine", which helped steer him to Utah. The guard added (link) that his father sees Utah as an ideal place for him at this point in his career and he agrees.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
John Lucas III Signs With Jazz
JULY 22ND, 2:37pm: The Jazz have officially announced the signing of Lucas in a press release.
JULY 15TH, 4:05pm: Free agent point guard John Lucas III has informed his other suitors that he will sign with the Jazz, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The deal with Utah is set to be wrapped up sometime this week. Lucas is represented by Lee Basketball Services, according to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database.
Lucas spent last season with the Raptors where he averaged 5.3 PPG and 1.7 APG in 13.1 minutes per contest. Recently, we heard that Lucas was among the many point guards that the Knicks were considering this summer. Lucas has spent parts of five seasons in the Association with a three year intermission that took him through Spain and the D-League.
Western Notes: Odom, Kevin Martin, Adelman
- After spending a season in Oklahoma City, Kevin Martin believes he can bring a "championship tone" to the Timberwolves' locker room next season, writes Alex M. Smith of the Pioneer Press.
- When asked if he was convinced that coach Rick Adelman would be returning to the sidelines in Minnesota, Martin replied "that's the story I've heard" (Yahoo's Marc J. Spears tweets).
- Moments after his press conference in Los Angeles, Jordan Farmar sat down with Mike Trudell of Lakers.com to discuss his return to the team that drafted him, how he's progressed since he's been overseas, and what he brings to the table now.
- Ty Lawson spoke with Hoopsworld about the Nuggets' offseason changes, giving his thoughts on the team's young players, how he'll fit with new head coach Brian Shaw, and what his expectations are for next season (video link).
- Pelicans guard Eric Gordon briefly talked to Hoopsworld about how he sees himself fitting next to Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans, saying that it's "all about getting the chemistry down" (video link).
- Doug Robinson of the Deseret News discusses how the Jazz franchise has been able to keep leaks and rumor mill discussions to a minimum.
Contract Details: Rice, Billups, Speights, Splitter
We've already passed along plenty of new details and information this week on the summer's free agent contracts, with round-ups on Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday. We've got a few more updates worth noting today, so let's dive in….
- Eric Pincus updated salary details for several teams at HoopsWorld, including the Wizards, Jazz, Raptors, Spurs, Kings, and Trail Blazers.
- Mark Deeks of ShamSports also provides new contract information for the Wizards, Trail Blazers, Warriors, Pistons, and Pacers.
- According to Deeks, Glen Rice Jr.'s deal with the Wizards is a two-year minimum-salary pact, with a guaranteed first year and a partially guaranteed ($400K) second year.
- Deeks also notes that Chauncey Billups and Marreese Speights are the only players known so far to receive actual team options on their contracts. Most other free agents reported to have signed deals with team options actually have a partially guaranteed or non-guaranteed season on their contracts (Twitter links).
- According to Pincus, Tiago Splitter's contract with the Spurs starts at $10MM, and eventually decreases to $8.25MM in year four. The deal also includes a 15% trade kicker (Twitter links).
Northwest Notes: Pekovic, Neto, Jazz, Blazers
The Thunder's courtship of Mike Miller is the dominant headline among Northwest Division teams this evening, but it's not the only news. Here's more on some of the teams who've spent the last two seasons looking up at Oklahoma City in the standings:
- Nikola Pekovic has yet to receive an offer sheet from any team trying to pry him away from the Timberwolves, according to Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. The Wolves reportedly have offered a four-year deal worth as much as $50MM, and Walters figures he'll wind up signing it.
- Soon after the draft, it seemed unlikely 47th overall pick Raul Neto would join the Jazz for this season, and the Brazilian point guard recently told Basketeria that he'll probably spend 2013/14 playing in Spain (translation via Jody Genessy of the Deseret News). That appears to be the Jazz's preference, as Neto said last week that his choice is to play in the NBA, while Genessy notes that Jazz GM Dennis Lindsey wouldn't mind if he got more experience overseas.
- Kurt Kragthorpe of The Salt Lake Tribune believes that it's premature to declare the Jazz winners of the Deron Williams trade, in spite of the collection of assets Utah received.
- Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey noted his preference to keep the team's roster at 14 players for now as he spoke on video with Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com. Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge has a transcript of the conversation, which touched on a range of topics.
- Timberwolves 2012 second-round pick Robbie Hummel is with Minnesota's summer league squad as he attempts to find a way to the NBA. If he falls short, Spanish club Obradoiro CAB, with whom he played this season, and Pallacanestro Cantu of Italy are pursuing him, Sportando's Emiliano Carchia reports.