Bobcats Notes: McMillan, Bickerstaff, Van Gundy
Earlier today we heard that Nate McMillan is in the midst of a two-day interview with the Bobcats for their coaching vacancy. Here's more from the Queen City:
- McMillan has an advocate in former Bobcats coach and GM Bernie Bickerstaff, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes.
- Bonnell believes the Magic's firing of Stan Van Gundy today could harm the Bobcats' search, since the Magic job is probably more attractive (Twitter link).
- Mike Tokito of The Oregonian seconds that thought, arguing that the Magic could be a more enticing destination for McMillan. He also speculates whether McMillan could wind up with the Clippers and Wizards.
- One coach the Bobcats wouldn't have to compete over with the Magic is Van Gundy, and Bonnell looks at how the former Magic boss would fit in Charlotte. Bonnell hears that Van Gundy may prefer to sit out the coming season rather than take another job right away.
Southeast Notes: Heat, Van Gundy, Smith, Wizards
In losing Game Two of their series against the Pacers last night, the Heat mustered just 75 points on their home court, and will head to Indiana with the series tied at one. With Chris Bosh out, Miami looks vulnerable — currently, over 58% of respondents to our Heat/Pacers poll believe Indiana will win the series. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel addressed concerns about the team's offense in a mailbag, calling Tuesday's game a "wake-up call." While we wait to see how the Heat respond on Thursday, here are a few more updates out of the Southeast Division:
- Magic CEO Alex Martins tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that the team has yet to make decisions on the futures of coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Otis Smith. According to David Pingalore of WKMG Orlando, Smith will meet with ownership today.
- John Wall would like the Wizards to bring in a veteran point guard capable of mentoring both him and backup Shelvin Mack, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. "It was tough," Wall said of the past season. "Because basically, I’m the veteran guy to try to help Shelvin, and it would be better if we had a guy helping both of us out."
- Kyrie Irving had high praise for Bobcats coaching candidate, and current Cavs assistant, Nate Tibbetts, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer notes.
- Earlier today, a report from Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune suggested that coach Larry Drew may not have his option for 2012/13 picked up by the Hawks.
Wizards Facing Decision On Rashard Lewis
Rashard Lewis has one year remaining on the massive contract he signed in July 2007, but it's very unlikely he'll return to Washington in 2012/13. Michael Lee of the Washington Post says the Wizards will likely "take every step to part ways" with Lewis this summer.
While it's clear the Wizards would like to shed Lewis' contract, there isn't necessarily one obvious solution for how to do so. Lewis' $22.7MM salary for next season is only partially guaranteed for $13.7MM, so Washington could save $9MM by simply releasing the 32-year-old by June 30th. The Wizards have also yet to use their amnesty provision and could eliminate Lewis' remaining $22.7MM from their cap entirely by amnestying him.
According to Lee, however, the Wizards view Lewis as having trade value and are expected to pursue deals around the time of the draft. Lewis' contract will be next year's largest expiring deal and could represent a chance for a team to clear significant cap room in preparation for the CBA's more punitive cap and tax restrictions in 2013/14, says Lee.
While it's certainly worth exhausting trade possibilities in case there's a team that would have interest in Lewis and his expiring deal, I have my doubts that Washington will find a suitor. Players in the final years of large contract this season, such as Antawn Jamison and Chris Kaman, didn't seem to attract significant interest, and Lewis has an even bigger price tag, which will make it challenging to find a trade partner.
As I wrote when I previewed the Wizards' offseason, I view Andray Blatche as a more logical candidate for the amnesty provision, and expect Washington to simply buy Lewis out prior to June 30th, saving $9MM. For Lewis' part, he still expects to be a contributor, wherever he plays next year.
"I still feel like I got a lot of basketball in me," Lewis said. "I know I can still play at a high level. I know I can still run and jump. It’s just getting healthy."
Odds & Ends: Olympics, Singleton, Jazz, Maxiell
There are 53 days remaining until 2012's free agent period gets underway, as Hoops Rumors continues to examine the stock of many of this summer's top available players. While we think we have a good idea of players' values heading into the offseason, there's no telling how high the bidding might go for certain free agents. Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld takes an early look at what players might benefit from an overly aggressive suitor or two, naming 12 candidates to be overpaid in free agency.
Here are a few other odds and ends from around the NBA:
- NBA commissioner David Stern told Jim Rome on Tuesday that the league will consider implementing a shorter season in the future, though he cautioned that there would be plenty of complications. Beckley Mason and Henry Abbott of ESPN's TrueHoop have the details.
- Team France has named its preliminary 18-man roster for the 2012 London Olympics. Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today tweets that the NBA players on the list include Nicolas Batum, Rodrigue Beaubois, Ian Mahinmi, Joakim Noah, Tony Parker, Kevin Seraphin, and Ronny Turiaf.
- The Wizards are interested in bringing back unrestricted free agent James Singleton, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune doesn't think the Jazz's personnel is quite as "perfect" going forward as Derrick Favors believes.
- Pistons president of basketball operations Joe Dumars reiterated to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press that he'd love to have Jason Maxiell back next season. Maxiell holds a $5MM player option for 2012/13 and recently hired agent Andy Miller.
Odds & Ends: Pistons, Kobe, Nelson, Nene, Nets
Some Wednesday afternoon items from around the NBA:
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News identifies John Henson as a potential fit for the Pistons in the draft and explores the team's upcoming amnesty-related decision.
- Prior to last season's blood-platelet therapy, Kobe Bryant was seriously questioning his basketball future, says Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- In addition to conducting a Cavaliers-centric chat this afternoon, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio examined a few potential NBA coaching openings.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com also answered questions in a chat that featured a number of interesting draft tidbits.
- The Magic and their fans shouldn't let the Dwight Howard saga overshadow Jameer Nelson's future in Orlando, argues Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
- Michael Lee of the Washington Post writes about the positive influence Nene had on the Wizards' young players following the deal that sent him to Washington in March. When I previewed the Wizards' offseason yesterday, I noted that finding another strong veteran presence like Nene could have a strong impact on the team's young nucleus.
- Fred Kerber of the New York Post wonders which of the Nets' free agents will be re-signed this summer.
Offseason Outlook: Washington Wizards
Guaranteed Contracts
- Nene ($13,000,000)
- Andray Blatche ($7,118,502)
- John Wall ($5,915,880)
- Jan Vesely ($3,202,920)
- Kevin Seraphin ($1,797,600)
- Chris Singleton ($1,551,840)
- Trevor Booker ($1,385,280)
- Jordan Crawford ($1,198,680)
Options
- None
Non-Guaranteed Contracts
- Rashard Lewis ($22,699,551; partially guaranteed for $13,699,551)
- Shelvin Mack ($762,195)
Free Agents (Cap Holds)
- Cartier Martin ($1,060,120 – QO)
- Morris Almond ($1,060,120 – QO)
- Brian Cook ($854,389)
- Maurice Evans ($854,389)
- James Singleton ($854,389)
Draft Picks
- 1st Round (Pending lottery; 19.9% chance at first overall pick)
- 2nd Round (32nd overall)
- 2nd Round (46th overall)
Cap Outlook
- Guaranteed Salary: $48,870,253
- Non-Guaranteed Salary, Cap Holds: $14,445,602
- Total (not including draft picks): $63,315,855
2011/12 was a tale of two seasons for the Washington Wizards, who took an ugly 9-33 record into the trade deadline. On March 15th, the Wizards traded away two veterans in JaVale McGee and Nick Young; a few days later the team shut down Andray Blatche for the remainder of the season. Washington went on to post an 11-13 post-deadline record, including a 7-4 mark in games that new Wizard Nene played.
While calling the Wizards a .500 team going forward may be a little optimistic, there are certainly reasons to be optimistic. The arrival of Nene seemed to have a positive impact on the team both on and off the court, and the disappointing and out-of-shape Blatche may have played his last game as a Wizard. And while Washington hasn't quite reached the end of Rashard Lewis' bloated contract, the team has the option of riding it out for one more season or buying him out and saving $9MM.
Besides Nene, Blatche, and Lewis, every Wizards player with a guaranteed contract next season is still on his rookie contract. John Wall, Kevin Seraphin, Jordan Crawford, and Trevor Booker are entering their third years, while Jan Vesely and Chris Singleton will be second-year players. The Wizards are a young team and figure to get a little younger in June, with three draft picks, including a top-five selection.
The primary goal of 2012/13 for the Wizards should be figuring out which of those young players are long-term core pieces and which are expendable. Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean the kids should get all the playing time — I think Washington's young core would benefit from some veteran leadership, and a healthy Nene is a good start. But the Wizards' focus this summer should be on continuing to surround their young talent with the right kind of veteran presence. That means deciding whether to bring back Blatche or Lewis, or to simply cut their losses.
There's not much chance the Wizards find a trade they like for Blatche, so the amnesty clause seems like the obvious solution to wipe the remaining three years on his contract off the books. Lewis represents a trickier case, since he'll count for nearly $14MM against the cap whether or not he's on the team, but I think it makes sense to let him go. If he's a Wizard next season, Lewis will likely just be playing out the string, looking ahead to eventually joining a contender. Adding a veteran free agent that genuinely wants to be in Washington will have a more positive effect on Wall and the young core — it's just a matter of finding a veteran willing to choose a team coming off a 20-46 season.
March's blockbuster Nene trade was the Wizards' first step in shedding the team's old reputation and building a new-look roster. Parting ways with Blatche and Lewis this summer should be the second step. Washington also has a one-in-five chance of landing Anthony Davis to really fast-track the rebuilding process, but even if the draft lottery isn't kind to them, the Wizards are on the right track with Wall, Nene, and a young nucleus of players that won't get too expensive for a few more years.
Storytellers Contracts and Sham Sports were used in the creation of this post.
Wizards Will Again Try To Trade Blatche
The Wizards were one of the league's more active teams at last month's trade deadline, shipping JaVale McGee and Nick Young out of town in a blockbuster deal that landed them Nene. Washington also tried to move Andray Blatche, but couldn't find a taker. The Wizards will continue to try to trade Blatche this summer, according to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, who says there's a good chance the forward has played his final game with the Wizards.
When he was extended last week, Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld indicated there was a chance Blatche would be on the roster for next season, but the odds of that "seem remote," says Lee. The Wizards would almost certainly have to take on another bad contract and/or give up draft picks to find a trade partner, so using their amnesty provision on Blatche seems more likely. For his part, Blatche says he's ready for anything.
"I’m not sure what’s going to happen, but whatever is going to happen is going to happen for a reason," Blatche said. "If I come back, I’m more than happy to try to fight through this little hole I’m in. If I’m somewhere else, I’ll continue to try to get better."
Injuries and poor conditioning led to a terrible 2011/12 campaign for Blatche. According to Lee's sources, the 25-year-old's weight ballooned above 280 pounds at one point. In the 26 games he played, Blatche posted a 10.6 PER, well below the 15.9 career mark he'd recorded prior to this season. He has three years and $23MM+ remaining on his contract.
Southeast Notes: Wizards, Bobcats, Jones
The Heat appear well on their way to a 1-0 series lead on the Knicks, and tomorrow the Hawks get going against the Celtics. Tonight the Magic open their series with the Pacers. Perhaps Orlando, without Dwight Howard, can take a cue from assistant coach Patrick Ewing, whose Knicks were able to get to the Finals in 1999 despite his absence. Here's the rest of the buzz around the Southeast:
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post reports the Wizards aren't on the hook for any money to former coach Flip Saunders next season. While that might make it easier to dismiss current coach Randy Wittman, who has one more year on his deal, Wizards players would like to see him back, Lee writes.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer examines how the Bobcats can take the first steps this offseason toward fulfilling owner Michael Jordan's goal of becoming a top-four team in the Eastern Conference.
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel looks at how union executive committee member James Jones is dealing with the turmoil in the player's association while also getting ready for the playoffs with the Heat.
Prospect Profile: Andre Drummond
Perhaps no player on the draft board gives teams pause quite as much as Connecticut freshman center Andre Drummond. He has drawn praise for "other-worldly" talent, but has been called the kind of player whose high-risk, high-reward potential gets GMs fired whether they take him or not. His athletic gifts and rebounding prowess make some scouts drool, while his lack of offensive development and inability to lift his team depress his stock. The latest we hear from Chad Ford of ESPN.com has him going somewhere between third and fifth, with some teams ranking him second only to presumptive No. 1 pick Anthony Davis. No. 2 is where Draft Express has him in their mock draft and list of the top 100 prospects, so the media reflects the dichotomy of opinions that teams have.
A heralded prospect coming out of high school, Drummond was supposed to keep defending national champion Connecticut among the elite teams in college basketball. That didn't happen, as the Huskies struggled through the regular season and lost to Iowa State in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Still, Drummond shouldn't bear the full brunt of the blame for his team's failure's, since UConn had to deal with the health problems of coach Jim Calhoun, uncertainty over their eligibility for next year's postseason because of academic shortfalls, and the loss of Kemba Walker, its best player from the year before.
Drummond averaged just 10.0 PPG, struggling in post-up situations, as Jonathan Givony of Draft Express notes, and settling too often for jump shots, in Ford's eyes. He still shot 53.8% from the floor. He averaged just 7.6 RPG, but 3.4 of them came on the offensive glass. The low numbers are partly attributable to playing just 28.4 MPG. That makes his 2.7 blocks every night that much more impressive. He's listed at either 6'10" or 6'11", but his wingspan is 7'5", according to ESPN.com.
Of the teams likely to draft between two and five, according to the Hoops Rumors draft order tracker, the Hornets seem to be the team most in need of frontcourt help, particularly if they fail to sign free agent center Chris Kaman. They might be more willing to wait for Drummond to develop and learn some offensive moves around the basket now that they have an owner in place. Drummond will be only 18 on draft night, and is the second youngest lottery prospect behind Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. If the Blazers wind up with the Nets' pick and Drummond's still around when they're drafting, don't be surprised if they take him, since they'll have plenty of free agent money to spend on immediate upgrades elsewhere. The Wizards seem least likely to take a flier on another underdeveloped big man, as they have Nene Hilario and Andray Blatche locked up long-term, and Washington fans are still haunted by JaVale McGee's inability to pick up on the game's nuances.
Patience will be key for whichever GM decides to draft him. The stats indicate he's just a one-way player right now, and that's a tough sell for struggling franchises looking for someone to help them turn it around.
John Wall On Wizards’ Season, Needs, Future
Although it was a disappointing overall season for the Wizards, the team ended on a high note, winning its final six games without compromising its lottery odds. As the season came to an end this week, John Wall spoke to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida and Michael Lee of the Washington Post about the year and what the future looks like for Wall and the Wizards. Here are a few of the highlights from the interviews:
On the Wizards' midseason roster upheaval:
"For some guys, it was contract year, wasn’t serious with the basketball as I think they should’ve been and with them being traded to veteran teams, it helped them. We didn’t have any veterans to get on them, they was the veterans. Now they are with veteran teams doing better and we’re doing better."
On the post-trade Wizards:
"This year, really, after the trade, it felt like it was my third year. It was a whole totally different team and we started playing totally different, to be honest. No disrespect to any guys we had before, but everything changed. We were more serious in the locker room, more serious on the court, unselfish play, everybody played together and just wanted to win."
On what the team needs to add:
"I think another veteran big man, another wing player and maybe a two guard. Another strong two guard. And that's it."
On the odds of eventually signing an extension with Washington:
"I like being here, but you let the future hold its own. When the time comes, you see what the best situation is for you."