Southeast Notes: Scott, Fournier, Williams
Hawks forward Mike Scott spoke publicly Monday for the first time since his arrest this summer on felony drug charges. The veteran would not discuss details of the case, but did note that the gym has been a sanctuary during the past few months, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution relays. “I just come in every day and compete,” Scott said at Hawks media day. “Joke around and laugh with my teammates. This is kind of been my sanctuary for the summer. I come into the gym and work hard and put everything behind me. Then when in I get back to the locker room I’ll look at my phone and I’ll be ‘Oh, right. I forgot.’ Coming into the gym every day, working out with my teammates, is something that has been great for me.”
Scott did acknowledge that his situation has embarrassed the Hawks’ organization, Vivlamore adds. “I don’t like to make other people look bad,” Scott said. “I don’t like to embarrass people. I don’t want to feel embarrassed. I thought it made us look bad a little bit. I take full responsibility for that. Moving on.”
Here’s the latest out of the Southeast Division:
- Evan Fournier is eligible to sign a contract extension with the Magic prior to this year’s deadline, and he’d welcome a new deal if the parameters made sense, Josh Robbins of The Orlando Sentinel writes. “It would be awesome,” Fournier said when asked about a possible extension. “But, to be honest, I don’t even think about it because that’s not in my power. That’s not in my hands. Right now I’m focused on getting healthy and just being back on the court. But, yeah, it would be awesome, man.“
- John Wall would be happy to assist the Wizards in recruiting Kevin Durant, who is set to become a restricted free agent next summer, Royce Young of ESPN.com relays. “There’s gonna be an opportunity to throw a pitch at him to try to get him to come back home,” Wall told CSNMidAtlantic.com. “But I know one thing of just knowing him, he’s going to be very focused on taking care of Oklahoma City this season, and I’m going to be focused on taking care of the Washington Wizards. But when the time is right and he can get away from all that, yeah, we’ll probably have some conversation and throw a pitch.“
- Hornets coach Steve Clifford doesn’t expect the role of Marvin Williams will be diminished despite the offseason additions of Frank Kaminsky, Tyler Hansbrough, and Spencer Hawes, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. “He’ll play the majority of his minutes at [power forward], but he could play [small forward] some nights depending on matchups,” Clifford said of Williams. “He’ll space the floor and be a very good defender. He adds versatility because he can switch [defensively] with some of the perimeter guys. Really the way the NBA is going he’s becoming the prototypical [power forward] now — 6’8″ or 6’9″, can make 3s and guard different guys.”
- Mario Chalmers, who was the subject of trade rumors throughout the offseason, leaned on LeBron James and Dwyane Wade for support to get through the uncertainty surrounding his future with the Heat, writes Barry Jackson of The Miami Herald. “LeBron and D-Wade are my two closest people when I’ve got things going on in my mind,” Chalmers said. “I talked to those two in the summer and it really helped ease my mind. Bron, big brother, he told me, ‘Don’t worry — it’s a business.’”
New York Notes: ‘Melo, Fisher, Seraphin, Young
Carmelo Anthony said that he’ll be taking Kristaps Porzingis under his wing, further distancing himself from the idea that he was upset with the Knicks for drafting the Latvian big man fourth overall, as Marc Berman of the New York Post details.
“As far as him going into this season, I kind of feel bad for him,’’ Anthony said. “There’s so much pressure on him. This guy hasn’t played one minute in the NBA. I’m going to try to be a big brother to him and try to take the pressure off. There’s going to be so much pressure he’s never experienced yet. He’s 19 years old, first time in the NBA. This is new to him. A newcomer in New York. That’s tough. I don’t think he knows what he’s getting himself into. I have to be that role for him.’’
See more on the Knicks and their New York rivals, the Nets:
- Derek Fisher has twice reminded reporters that he, and not Phil Jackson, is the coach of the Knicks in response to inquiries about Jackson’s plan for increased involvement with the coaching staff this season, but Fisher resists the idea that he’s feeling insecure, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I was asked a question. I don’t think about it until I’m asked about it. I’m me and he’s him and I don’t get caught up in how much and not enough and it’s my job. I’m the coach of the team. How we do will fall on my shoulders,” Fisher said. “It doesn’t matter who says what or how many percentages or times we meet and watch film or whatever. It’s on me. And I’m comfortable with that. I wouldn’t have accepted the job if I wasn’t comfortable with it.”
- The Knicks convinced Kevin Seraphin that they have room for him to contribute, a key in persuading him to sign with New York after he felt frustration about his lack of playing time with the Wizards last season, as he explained to reporters, including Berman, who writes in a separate piece. Seraphin signed a one-year, $2.814MM deal with the Knicks after averaging 15.6 minutes per game in 79 appearances for Washington this past season.
- Thaddeus Young cited his family’s comfort in the New York area as one reason he decided to opt out and re-sign with the Nets instead of opting in for the coming season, notes Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. Young, believed to be the first Nets player to live in Brooklyn since the franchise moved there three years ago, inked a four-year, $50MM deal in July after turning down a nearly $10.222MM player option.
- Joe Johnson wasn’t exactly fond of Deron Williams, sources told Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com, and Johnson expressed puzzlement Monday about why Williams would buy his way off the Nets, as Mazzeo details. Williams gave up all but about $27.5MM of the nearly $43.374MM left on his contract to escape Brooklyn, but, “It’s not that bad here,” Johnson insists.
- Johnson, 34, also hinted at retirement, saying that he plans to play beyond this season, the last one on his contract with the Nets, but not ruling out a change of heart. “God willing, as long as I’m healthy I’ll continue to play,” Johnson said, as Mazzeo relays in the same piece. “I don’t think it’s my last, but we’ll see.”
Wizards Pick Up 2016/17 Option On Otto Porter
The Wizards have exercised their $5,893,981 team option on Otto Porter‘s rookie scale deal for 2016/17, according to the RealGM transactions log. That’ll keep the former No. 3 overall pick under contract through that season, the last on his rookie scale pact. The team has yet to make an official announcement, but it appears as though Washington has made the move well in advance of the November 2nd deadline.
It’s no surprise to see the Wizards pick up the option, even though it adds to their books for next summer, when they’ll surely be chasing Washington native Kevin Durant in free agency. Porter took strides last season after a disappointing rookie year, and he made a strong impression in the playoffs this past spring, when he averaged 10.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in 33.1 minutes per game across 10 postseason appearances. The 22-year-old small forward figures to see more minutes this season in the wake of Paul Pierce‘s departure.
Adding Porter’s option gives Washington more than $39MM in guaranteed salary for 2016/17, roughly $50MM less than the projected $89MM cap. Durant’s maximum salary is a projected $24.9MM, and the Wizards are also considering an extension for Bradley Beal that could add up to $20.4MM to the ledger, based on Beal’s projected max. A max contract for Durant and a max extension for Beal, plus the cap holds the team would be required to carry for open roster spots, would probably leave the Wizards without the flexibility necessary to build a credible bench for next season, as I explained when I looked at Beal’s extension candidacy. Letting Beal hit restricted free agency next summer would allow the Wizards about $6.2MM more in cap flexibility while still affording them an opportunity to sign him for the max after they use up their cap space on others, since Washington would have Beal’s Bird rights.
Porter looms as a potential sign-and-trade candidate if the Wizards ink Beal to a max extension this fall and if Porter continues to blossom. Still, that would require the Thunder to play along, and Oklahoma City might not want to assist another team even if Durant makes it clear he’d like to play elsewhere.
What do you think Porter’s ceiling is? Leave a comment to tell us.
Southeast Notes: Bazemore, Heat, Wizards
Hawks guard Kent Bazemore is entering the final season of his current deal, but there is mutual interest between the team and the 26-year-old in reaching an agreement on a new contract next offseason, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal Constitution writes. Speaking about his feelings for Atlanta, Bazemore said, “I’ve come to love Atlanta. Of the whole summer, I was probably only gone two weeks. I’ve spent a lot of time here. I just moved into a new house. I’m renting it. Maybe I can buy it next year.” Bazemore and the Hawks will have to wait until next summer to work out a new deal since his current deal was signed for less than four years, meaning Bazemore is ineligible to sign an extension during the season, Vivlamore adds.
Here’s the latest from the Southeast Division:
- Heat assistant Dan Craig was officially named as head coach of the franchise’s D-League affiliate, the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team announced. The news of Craig’s hiring was first reported by Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
- Jaron Johnson‘s one-year deal with the Wizards is non-guaranteed and for the league minimum, while Jaleel Roberts‘ agreement is also for the minimum, but his includes a partial guarantee of $10K, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders relays (Twitter links).
- The Heat‘s deals with John Lucas III and Tre Kelley are one-year pacts for the league minimum and do not include any guaranteed salary, Pincus tweets.
- Hawks coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said that it may make more sense for the team to carry the regular season maximum of 15 players rather than keeping a slot open, Vivlamore tweets. Atlanta currently has 13 players inked to fully guaranteed deals.
- The Hornets are hoping that Jeremy Lamb will get off to a fresh start in Charlotte after not seeing much playing time during his three seasons with the Thunder, Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer writes. Lamb was acquired back in June in exchange for for Luke Ridnour and a 2016 second-round pick.
- Greg Stiemsma‘s and Nnanna Egwu‘s one-year, minimum salary deals with the Magic are non-guaranteed, while Keith Appling and Jordan Sibert‘s minimum salary arrangements include partial guarantees of $100K, Pincus relays in a series of tweets.
- The presence of Goran Dragic, who re-signed with the Heat this offseason, was a big draw for Amar’e Stoudemire to join Miami as a free agent, Surya Fernandez of SB Nation tweets. Of Dragic, Stoudemire said, “If he would have stayed in Phoenix, I would have thought about going back to Phoenix.“
Wizards Eye Cap Space, Offer Beal Less Than Max?
MONDAY, 4:47pm: Beal indicated that negotiations remain open and cordial, and that the lack of an extension by the deadline doesn’t mean the sides won’t strike up talks again next summer, when Beal would be a restricted free agent, writes J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic.
“I’m confident [something will be worked out before October ends],” Beal said, according to Michael. “It’s just a matter of them doing it. If they do or don’t it’s fine either way. I still have to play the season. That’s the only thing I’m concerned about.”
MONDAY, 12:30pm: Beal denies that the Wizards made him an offer, Castillo tweets.
FRIDAY, 3:27pm: The Wizards have offered an extension to Bradley Beal, but it’s worth less than the maximum salary he’s seeking because the team wants to preserve cap flexibility for next summer, a source tells Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. That makes it unlikely the Mark Bartelstein client signs an extension, Castillo writes, though the sides have until the end of November 2nd to negotiate. An earlier report indicated that the Wizards wanted non-guaranteed salary involved in any max deal, though Castillo’s dispatch makes it seem as though the total value of Washington’s offer, and not just the guaranteed portion, is less than the max.
Washington would likely have room to bring in D.C. native Kevin Durant or another free agent on a max deal next summer even if the team signs Beal to a max extension, but that would leave almost no flexibility for the team to carry credible bench players, as I explained when I looked at the possibility of Beal’s extension. Keeping Beal unsigned would allow the team to carry his cap hold of about $14.2MM into next summer instead of a max salary figure, which would be a projected $20.4MM. The Wizards would have the right to match competing bids for Beal in restricted free agency if they pass on an extension, so they could let him sit unsigned while they use the July Moratorium period to chase Durant and others.
The plan could backfire if Beal signs an offer sheet with another team that contains terms the Wizards find undesirable. However, Spurs employed a similar strategy with Kawhi Leonard to great success this past year, declining to sign him to an extension and using the extra cap flexibility to sign LaMarcus Aldridge and others before circling back to tie up Leonard on a five-year max deal.
Leonard’s deal includes a player option on the final season, and Beal reportedly wants that in any deal for less than the max. The Wizards can’t sign him to a five-year deal unless he hits free agency, since they already made John Wall their Designated Player, so an extension that includes a player option would allow Beal to leave as soon as 2018.
The Wizards and Beal’s camp have maintained talks but achieved little progress, as Castillo reported earlier this month. It represents a shift from last year, when the Wizards were reportedly already planning to do an extension with Beal when he became eligible this summer. As recently as this spring, Washington was apparently committed to reaching a max deal with the shooting guard, though that may simply have to wait until next July.
What do you think the Wizards should do with Beal? Leave a comment to let us know.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 9/26/15
The Wizards offered an extension to Bradley Beal, but it’s worth less than the maximum salary that he’s seeking. The team wants to preserve flexibility in order to court free agents next summer. Washington could sign Beal to a max contract, which is projected to have a starting salary of $20.4MM, and still have enough to sign Kevin Durant on a max deal, but that set of events would squash the team’s opportunity to bring in credible bench players, as Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors discussed when examining the possibility of an extension.
In his first three seasons in the league, Beal has progressed nicely. He has become a plus defender who can hold his own against most twos and even some point guards. He has a silky shot and an arsenal of moves that allow him to get him decent looks. However, he has seen his share of injuries, missing 54 games since coming into the league. He also hasn’t been the most efficient player, sporting a PER of just 14.0 this past season, which is below the league average of 15.0.
The Wizards certainly have reason to attempt to strike a pact with Beal at below the max. Which leads us tonight’s topic: Is Beal worth a max contract and should Washington offer that deal to him?
Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say!
Wizards Officially Sign Five For Camp
The Wizards have officially signed Josh Harrellson, Jaron Johnson, Toure’ Murry, Jaleel Roberts and Ish Smith, the team announced. All five moves were expected, and none of them have any guaranteed salary, according to reports. The Wizards already have 15 fully guaranteed deals, so it would be tough for today’s camp additions to stick for opening night. All except Johnson are known to be on one-year contracts for the minimum, according to Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders, though it would be surprising if Johnson signed for terms that were any different.
Harrellson, a three-year veteran big man, is returning to the NBA after sitting out last season as he recovered from back surgery. Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports first reported the deal with the 26-year-old.
Charania also revealed that Johnson, a 23-year-old shooting guard, would attend Wizards camp. Johnson spent last season with the D-League affiliate of the Rockets after going undrafted out of Louisiana Tech in 2014.
The Wizards are familiar with Murry from his time on a pair of 10-day contracts with the team last season. J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic reported the deal between the Wizards and the 25-year-old combo guard.
Roberts is poised to celebrate his 23rd birthday next month in Wizards camp. Charania reported that the center who went undrafted out of UNC-Asheville this year would head to Washington.
Four teams had Smith at one point or another in 2014/15, and though he had a strong finishing kick with the Sixers, the 27-year-old point guard will have to fight to stay on the roster in Washington. Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post reported Smith’s deal with the Wizards.
Which Wizards camp invitee has the greatest potential to surprise and remain on the roster for the start of the regular season? Leave a comment to tell us.
Wizards To Sign Jaron Johnson For Camp
The Wizards and 23-year-old shooting guard Jaron Johnson have agreed to a non-guaranteed deal for training camp, reports Shams Charania of RealGM (Twitter link). Johnson went undrafted out of Louisiana Tech in 2014 and spent last season with the D-League affiliate of the Rockets. Houston also had Johnson on its summer league team this year. Washington already has 15 fully guaranteed contracts plus four additional pacts for camp, so presumably Johnson will round out the team’s training camp roster.
Johnson averaged more minutes per game in the D-League this past season than he did in his final collegiate year, as he put up 15.1 points and 4.5 rebounds with 37.2% three-point shooting in 29.9 MPG for the D-League Rio Grande Valley Vipers. He didn’t shoot as well across the small sample size of five summer league contests, but he was nonetheless a more efficient per-minute scorer than he had been in college.
The Wizards reportedly have two other guards, Ish Smith and Toure’ Murry, on camp deals, along with big men Josh Harrellson and Jaleel Roberts. Washington is without a D-League affiliate, so Johnson wouldn’t have a way to stay in the team’s system if the Wizards cut him at the end of the preseason, which seems likely.
Eastern Notes: Wade, Celtics, Bulls
The Heat don’t plan on Dwyane Wade playing under a minutes restriction this season, and coach Erik Spoelstra wants to utilize the veteran shooting guard as much as possible in 2015/16, Jason Lieser of The Palm Beach Post writes. “Dwyane has to be our leader,” Spoelstra said. “He’s grown in that role and with new veteran players, everybody naturally turns to Dwyane as the cornerstone of our franchise and they turn to [Chris Bosh] and they turn to [Udonis Haslem]. He’s fully accepted that responsibility. Dwyane is coming into this season ready for whatever challenges it brings, and I’m not coaching him with restrictions in mind. We’ll adapt and be aware of anything that may come up as the season goes on.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Center Tyler Zeller thinks that the Celtics‘ stocked frontcourt will be a boon to the team, despite him having extra competition for playing time, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com writes. “I think [the frontcourt will] be good,” said Zeller. “Hopefully we can learn from Amir [Johnson] and David [Lee]. I know David has had a lot of success all over the board in being an All-Star, winning a championship, those kind of things. Hopefully we can learn a lot from him and he can push us in the right direction and help us become a better team. I’m really looking forward to playing with them. I think they are going to be great assets to us and hopefully help us take that next step.“
- The Bulls are expected to have much more freedom on the offensive end under new coach Fred Hoiberg than they previously did under former coach Tom Thibodeau, Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes. “Obviously it’s going to be different,” swingman Jimmy Butler said of his new coach. “I’ve studied some film with my trainer how [Iowa State] played in college. We go over some of the offensive schemes [Hoiberg’s] told me and my trainer about. So we work that into our workouts, but it’s definitely going to be different. I think it’s not going to be so much concentrated on defense like it was [with] Thibs. I think it’s actually going to be more offense [minded].“
- The Wizards believe that a healthy Bradley Beal and John Wall, along with the team’s stout frontline, give the team potential for significant growth, which is one reason the team held off from making a splash in free agency this summer, the crew at Basketball Insiders write in their season preview of the team. Washington has the capability to make it to the second round of this year’s playoffs, but advancing to the Conference Finals is unlikely with the current roster, the panel concludes.
Eastern Notes: Celtics, Parker, KD, Heat
The Celtics are hoping that their depth will be enough to power them to success since they are lacking in star power, Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald writes. Celtics GM Danny Ainge understands the importance of having elite players, but he also pointed to the Spurs’ 2013/14 championship team as a team that won it all while not necessarily having the most talent.
“History has shown us that you need stars — or at least some level of stars,” said Ainge. “But I do believe you can win with really good players. Teams in the past that have won haven’t had the best players.”
Of course, that was a roster anchored by Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili, and Tony Parker, so it’s not as though it was a team of no-names. Here’s more from the Eastern Conference..
- The Greg Monroe signing drew a ton of attention this summer, but if the Bucks enjoy success in 2015/16, Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders believes that Jabari Parker’s return could be an even bigger factor for Milwaukee. Parker and Monroe, he adds, could consistently combine for 30-40 PPG, something the Bucks sorely missed last season.
- Shaun Powell of NBA.com says that the Wizards are right to be setting the table for Kevin Durant in the event that he wants to leave OKC. The Wizards offer more than the comforts of home for OKC, thanks to John Wall, Bradley Beal, and a solid collection of bigs.
- In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the Heat could trade Chris Andersen, Mario Chalmers, and a second-round pick to the Pistons for Brandon Jennings. While a healthy Jennings would be a quality a backup point guard to Goran Dragic, Winderman isn’t sure if Detroit will be motivated to move him upon his return.