Southeast Notes: Harrington, Vesely, Wade
Dwyane Wade and his Big Three cohorts can opt out of their deals with the Heat in the summer of 2014, but the 31-year-old reiterated yesterday that he isn’t going anywhere. The veteran will be able to resume activity this week after undergoing treatment for tendinitis in his knees, which will be critical to his basketball future for this season and beyond. Here’s the latest out of the Southeast..
- The Wizards‘ signing of Al Harrington undoubtedly strengthens the club, but it could also hurt the development of 2011 first-round picks Jan Vesely and Chris Singleton, notes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Vesely could see minutes at center, but he’ll have to jockey with Kevin Seraphin for time. Meanwhile, Singleton could slide down to the three spot, but he’ll need to shoot better than the 38.2% he put up last year.
- Wade hopes that this season will see his role increase, despite his health issues, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (via Twitter).
- More from Winderman, who writes in today’s mailbag that he could see Juwan Howard transition into a coaching or developmental role when his career is through.
Eastern Notes: Wade, George, 76ers
Heat superstar Dwyane Wade, like teammate LeBron James, can potentially opt out next summer and become a free agent, but told reporters on Thursday that there really isn't much to make of it right now and made it clear about where he stood: "Everyone knows where I want to be…That's what it's all about to me, is making sure we focus on this season, winning this championship…I want to be in Miami and I have nothing else to talk about. So there won't be (any) exciting news over here" (Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel). Wade also touches upon his health and is excited about the addition of center Greg Oden. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:
- Pacers' swingman Paul George is ready to lead Indiana as the team's "No. 1 guy" (Michael Pointer of the Indianapolis Star).
- Despite the thought that the 76ers could trade Thaddeus Young, Evan Turner, or Spencer Hawes if the right deal presents itself, newly hired head coach Brett Brown raved about what each of them can bring to the court for him (Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer).
- Knicks head coach Mike Woodson specifically mentioned Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, and Carmelo Anthony when asked about his starting five for next season, but was non-committal when asked if third-year guard Iman Shumpert would be included in that group at shooting guard, notes ESPN New York's Ian Begley. With that being said, Begley suggests that Woodson may look to continue starting Pablo Prigioni alongside Felton while sliding Shumpert to small forward and offers more thoughts on the rest of the team's rotation.
- ESPN Boston's Chris Forsberg rounds up a few predictions from the Celtics blogging community on how the 2013-14 season will play out, and the majority appears to imagine a finish anywhere in or between the ninth and twelfth seeds in the Eastern Conference.
- John Schuhmann of NBA.com thinks the Wizards are primed for a playoff run this year.
Wizards Sign Al Harrington
The Wizards have officially signed Al Harrington to a contract, the team announced today (Twitter link). ESPN.com's Marc Stein was the first to report earlier this week that the two sides were nearing an agreement, not long after Harrington was released by Orlando.
Harrington, 33, missed nearly all of the 2012/13 season due to a staph infection, but has worked hard to get back into playing shape for the coming year, as he told Sam Amick of USA Today last month. Harrington is just one year removed from a productive season in Denver, in which he averaged 14.2 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 64 contests.
After having used their full mid-level exception on Martell Webster and their full bi-annual exception on Eric Maynor, the Wizards could only offer Harrington a minimum-salary contract, which is what he'll receive. Michael Lee of the Washington Post noted yesterday that it would be a one-year deal, so Harrington will earn about $1.4MM, though Washington will only be on the hook for about $884K of that amount. The 15-year veteran is also still owed $7MM+ from the Magic for the next two seasons.
The Wizards had 14 players on guaranteed contracts prior to adding Harrington, so it looks like the team's 15-man roster is set, though a few players could receive non-guaranteed camp invites.
Al Harrington Nearing Deal With Wizards
TUESDAY, 4:10pm: Harrington will likely finalize his agreement with the Wizards on Wednesday, tweets J. Michael of CSN Washington.
MONDAY, 8:41am: Having been waived by the Magic earlier this month, Al Harrington appears poised to join another Southeast club. Sources tell ESPN.com's Marc Stein that Harrington is leaning toward signing a deal with the Wizards. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld backs up Stein's report, tweeting that an agreement between the two sides looks likely, as long as the veteran forward passes a physical.
Harrington, 33, missed nearly all of the 2012/13 season due to a staph infection, but has worked hard to get back into playing shape for the coming year, as he told Sam Amick of USA Today last month. Harrington is just one year removed from a productive season in Denver, in which he averaged 14.2 PPG and 6.1 RPG in 64 contests.
The Wizards used their full mid-level exception on Martell Webster and their full bi-annual exception on Eric Maynor, so the team could only offer Harrington a minimum-salary contract. However, the 15-year veteran is still owed about $7.4MM by the Magic for the next two seasons, so he's likely prioritizing a good fit over the highest offer. Washington has one guaranteed roster spot still available and is looking to add some "frontcourt scoring punch," according to Stein.
Eastern Notes: Harrington, Knicks, Sixers, Brown
Earlier today, we rounded up several Bobcats rumors and notes from Zach Lowe, and passed along word that Eric Griffin will participate in training camp with the Heat. Now let's check out a few more of the day's items from around the Eastern Conference….
- Al Harrington is closing in on a one-year contract with the Wizards and tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post that he believes Washington is "definitely" a playoff team. Although Harrington's health forced him to consider retirement at times last year, he's looking forward to getting back on the court for the Wizards.
- The signing of Beno Udrih ensures that Knicks coach Mike Woodson will have plenty of lineups and styles of play at his disposal this season, writes Beckley Mason of the New York Times.
- Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News writes that Brett Brown will be a good fit as the Sixers' new head coach, while Tom Ziller of SBNation.com points out that just because Brown received a four-year deal, it doesn't necessarily mean he'll keep the job for all four years.
- Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld identifies Danny Granger (Pacers), Rajon Rondo (Celtics), and Joel Anthony (Heat) as a few players he thinks may be moved before next year's trade deadline.
Timberwolves To Interview Milt Newton
MONDAY, 10:45am: According to Saunders, the Wolves have yet to formally interview Newton, but have asked for and received permission from the Wizards to speak to him. Saunders would like to talk to Newton about a front office job involving scouting and personnel (Twitter links via Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune).
SUNDAY, 8:56am: Wizards vice president of player personnel Milt Newton sat down this week for a formal interview with the Timberwolves for their GM position, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Stein first reported two and a half months ago that the team was considering Newton for the job. Minnesota president of basketball operations Flip Saunders wants to hire a pair of executives to assist him in the front office. Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities reported early in July that Newton was likely to stay with the Wizards, but a week later, Wolfson said Newton was still in the mix to join the Wolves.
Wolves director of basketball operations Rob Babcock also appears to be a candidate for the GM job, though he could instead become the team's vice president of basketball operations, the other position Saunders is looking to fill. The Wolves also had their eyes on Tim Connelly before he became Nuggets GM.
Newton, who grew up in Washington, D.C., has spent the past decade in the Wizards organization. Before that, he served as an executive with the D-League, scouted for the Sixers, and worked for USA Basketball.
Southeast Rumors: Oden, Tolliver, Price
For the past two seasons, the Southeast Division has been home to both the NBA champs and the team with the worst record in the league. There's a decent chance that's the case for a third year in a row, as the Heat don't appear to be retreating from the title picture and the Magic continue to value the future over the present. Here's more from Florida and the rest of the Southeast:
- Greg Oden isn't sure his body can withstand his comeback effort, but he is certain he made the right choice in signing with the Heat over a handful of other suitors. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel has more from Oden's conversations with the media today.
- Shams Charania of RealGM.com adds the Clippers to the list of teams that pursued Anthony Tolliver before he agreed today to sign with the Bobcats (Twitter link). Charlotte assistants Stephen Silas and Bob Weiss have worked with Tolliver in the past, and both pushed him for a reunion, as Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida details.
- A.J. Price isn't surprised that the Wizards haven't re-signed him, and believes the more punitive luxury tax in the latest collective bargaining agreement is making it more difficult for him to find NBA work, as he tells J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. Price is open to playing overseas if that's the only option, and according to El Contraataque, FC Barcelona of Spain has interest in him (translation via HoopsHype).
Odds & Ends: Ariza, Wiz, Udrih, Howard, Jackson
Here are some odds and ends from around the NBA on this Thursday night:
- The Wizards had a busy offseason, which kicked off with Trevor Ariza informing them that he planned to exercise his $7.7MM player option for 2013/14. Ariza didn't foresee this offseason as a good one to test free agency, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post, who sees Ariza ahead of rookie Otto Porter Jr. on the Wizards depth chart based on the team's summer league.
- Lee adds that if the Wizards plan to add a big man, they'll like only be able to offer a minimum salary. Wizards owner Ted Leonsis is willing to become a tax-paying team, per Lee, but would rather do so once he has a contender on his hands.
- Keith Schlosser of the Knicks Journal examines the addition of Beno Udrih to the Knicks' backcourt, arguing that Udrih is of borderline starter caliber. The Knicks got another bargain, Schlosser says, writing that Udrih's acceptance of a minimum salary implies he is on board with the "win now" mentality of the New York locker room. Filling a clearly defined role, previously occupied by Jason Kidd, should facilitate Udrih's transition, Schlosser opines.
- In an interview with ESPN Radio in Los Angeles, Lakers executive vice president Jeanie Buss said that the team would have had a much better chance to keep Dwight Howard if her father, the late Dr. Jerry Buss, had been healthy and involved, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN LA. Buss called her father "the best closer in the business" and also stated that her husband, former Lakers coach Phil Jackson, still has the itch to coach, but stopped short of implying anything about a return to the Lakers. Hear the full interview here.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Heat, Bobcats
Let's round up a few Tuesday morning items from around the Southeast Division….
- While most major free agents have found teams since the start of July, Wizards coach Randy Wittman rightly points out that there's still plenty of time left in the offseason to make moves. "We're not done," Wittman tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post. "[GM] Ernie [Grunfeld]’s not done, and we’re trying to explore [upgrades], whether it’s through trades or free agency."
- The Heat aren't likely to pursue Stephen Jackson, add another big, or retain Jarvis Varnado, opines Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel in his latest mailbag.
- Joel Anthony (Heat) and Shelvin Mack (Hawks) are two of the potential "odd men out" identified by Lang Greene of HoopsWorld as possible trade candidates.
- After re-signing with the Bobcats this summer, Gerald Henderson speaks to Scott Fowler of the Charlotte Observer about wanting to a part of the solution in Charlotte, rather than a part of the problem.
Eastern Notes: Ivan Johnson, Wizards, Pistons
The Eastern Conference has been the weaker side of the NBA for more than a decade, but the teams at the top of the conference should rival their counterparts from the West this season. The Bulls, Pacers and Nets all figure to be tougher competition for the Heat in 2013/14, with the Knicks right behind. As we wait to see how it plays out, here's the latest news related to Eastern teams:
- Agent Jeremiah Haylett tells Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype that he's exploring overseas options for Ivan Johnson (Twitter link). The Knicks are one of six NBA teams who've spoken to the burly power forward, and though the Hawks were reportedly interested in bringing him back as of mid-July, they've since renounced his rights.
- Wizards coach Randy Wittman is glad the team locked up John Wall, who became the 15th NBA player to have a maximum-salary contract on the books when he signed his extension this week. J. Michael of CSNWashington.com has Wittman's thoughts on the team's offseason.
- The gamble that Brandon Jennings will be better than Brandon Knight in the long run is the latest in a series of risks that will decide Joe Dumars' fate, opines Shawn Windsor of the Detroit Free Press. Of course, Dumars and the Pistons might already be plotting to move on from Jennings, according to a report we passed along earlier today.