And-Ones: Kenyon Martin, Will Bynum, 2017 NBA Draft

December 24th, 2016 at 2:59pm CST by Austin Kent

There have been plenty of headlines about George Karl‘s pending book release, but lost in the Carmelo Anthony barbs that have been heavily discussed in the media of late is the seemingly reignited feud between the ex-Nuggets head coach and his former power forward Kenyon Martin.

Marc Spears of The Undefeated explored the intricacies of the hostile relationship between Karl and Martin.

Will Bynum has signed a D-League contract with the Windy City Bulls, the 33-year-old last suited it up in the NBA for the Wizards back in April 2015. In 2006, prior to his six-year stint with the Pistons, Bynum won the D-League Rookie of the Year Award.
Justin Dentmon has signed a contract with the Shandong Bulls. The 31-year-old point guard has served brief stints with the Spurs, Raptors and Mavericks.
Dallas Morning News beat writer Eddie Sefko explores the various ways the Mavericks could go about acquiring a superstar – and just how badly Mark Cuban wants to get one.
There could be as many as 10-15 All-Stars in this summer’s draft class, writes Chad Ford for ESPN Insider (subscription required). The group is headlined by Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball.

Week In Review: 12/18/16 – 12/24/16

December 24th, 2016 at 1:22pm CST by Austin Kent

Here’s a look back at all the notable news items from around the NBA this past week, including several prominent injuries and the announcement of a new basketball league for retired NBAers:

News

The ongoing saga in Philadelphia continues as the Sixers deliberate over what to do with their frontcourt logjam. General manager Bryan Colangelo has said that he’s content finishing the season without trading one of the team’s young centers but it’s unclear whether that will work out for the rest of the parties involved. The club drew criticism when they publicly elected to remove Nerlens Noel from the rotation, a decision that they appear to have since backed off from.
The Pistons have plummeted below .500 on the heels of five consecutive losses. Not surprisingly, head coach Stan Van Gundy has vowed to shake things up. Since then, drama in the team’s locker room has escalated considerably, though a trade is not necessarily expected.
DeMarcus Cousins was fined substantially by the Kings for his actions and behavior regarding the media. A video showcasing the All-Star’s past incidents with the media was published by the Sacramento Bee.
Pat Riley has decided that it’s finally time for the Heat to rebuild. Riley lauds the team’s collection of promising young assets and promises to rebuild fast.

Business

The NBA’s salary cap rose dramatically over the summer and could continue to rise over the next few years. According to The Vertical, the official figure could rise from the $94MM it sits at now to as much as $118MM by 2020. In 2015/16, the salary cap was just $70MM.
NBA owners and NBA players have all ratified the new collective bargaining agreement, making the new deal official.
The new CBA will significantly change how teams are able to sign and extend their own free agents. For James Harden and Russell Westbrook, two players that signed contract extensions last summer, some these changes will be grandfathered in allowing them to be eligible for extensions this summer as well.
A new independent medical panel will be established to handle potential life and death cases like the one facing Chris Bosh who has been prohibited from playing for the Heat due to blood clots.
The wheels are in motion for a new basketball league that will allow retired NBA players to compete in half-court, three-on-three tournaments. Stephen Jackson and Jason Williams are said to be among the earliest batch of players on board.

Rumors

The injury-depleted Rockets are gauging the trade market, searching for big men to possibly add to their lineup.
Teams have called the Grizzlies inquiring about Tony Allen and the club is open to hearing offers.
The Nuggets have been receiving offers for 25-year-old Will Barton, but the swingman is content staying in Denver.
He’s since denied it, but Goran Dragic was rumored to be “open to a trade” from the Heat.

Injuries

Blake Griffin will undergo a procedure to clean up “loose bodies” in his right knee, keeping him out of action for the Clippers until the New Year.
The Rockets will be without center Clint Capela for six weeks as the big man recovers from a left fibula fracture.
Trail Blazers big man Festus Ezeli has elected for season-ending knee surgery. The center rushed back from an injury prematurely last season and now has his long-term health to consider.
J.R. Smith is the latest Cavaliers rotation player to go down with an injury, the swingman’s broken thumb could keep him sidelined for 12 to 14 weeks.
Ian Mahinmi will miss six additional weeks battling back from knee procedures. The newly inked Wizards center will now under go platelet-rich plasma treatment.

Categories:
Week in Review

Atlantic Notes: Lowry, Nogueira, Anthony

December 24th, 2016 at 11:14am CST by Austin Kent

Zach Lowe thinks that the Sixers will absolutely make a run at pending free agent Kyle Lowry this summer. The ESPN journalist spoke on his The Lowe Post podcast with Brian Windhorst Thursday, citing several reasons why the franchise could pursue the veteran Raptors point guard.

Lowry is from Philadelphia, Lowe mentions, and has played under ex-Raptors executive Bryan Colangelo previously. On top of that, the Sixers will have an exorbitant amount of cap space and could benefit from the services of a point guard should they ultimately decide to utilize Ben Simmons in ways other than as a traditional playmaker.

Worth noting is that Windhorst believes Cory Joseph to be a suitable replacement for the 30-year-old point guard while Lowe believes that such a drop off would be too much for the Raptors.

Also in the Atlantic Division:

Raptors head coach Dwane Casey isn’t opposed to playing big men Jonas Valanciunas and Lucas Nogueira together, says Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun. Typically Nogueira has played the five but has turned heads with his energetic production this season. Casey believes Nogueira is capable of stretching out to the four.
Former teammates are rallying around Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony this week, says Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders. The veteran was taken to task by former George Karl in an excerpt from his upcoming book. Former Nuggets players Kenyon Martin and J.R. Smith, who played with Anthony and under Karl in Denver, are among those vocal.

Hoops Rumors Originals: 12/18/16 to 12/24/16

December 24th, 2016 at 9:58am CST by Austin Kent

Celebrate the holidays with a look back at this week’s original content published by the Hoops Rumors staff:

Luke Adams searched the archives for some of the most notable December trades in recent memory. Who will be this year’s Rudy Gay or Rajon Rondo?
Chris Crouse explored some of the fantasy basketball opportunities that will open up in in the Rockets‘ frontcourt now that Clint Capela has been sidelined.
Luke Adams scoured the basketball blogosphere for the community’s best analysis, including Dig In Denver‘s case for why Jamal Murray should start over Emmanuel Mudiay.
There were a few contentious issues that arose in the NBA this week, so we asked readers to weigh in with their own opinions.
- The Pistons have started to fall apart, at least according to Stan Van Gundy. Was the head coach right to challenge his under-performing club so publicly in the media? What’s next for Detroit?
- The Nuggets have a logjam in their frontcourt. Should one of Nikola Jokic, Kenneth Faried or Jusuf Nurkic be moved?
- The NBA announced this week that players and the media will now be able to influence All-Star Game starters. Was this a necessary change? Was there a better way of doing things?
- The list of 2017 Hall of Fame nominees has been released and it includes individuals like Tracy McGrady and Ben Wallace. Who do you think is best deserving of a bid?
- The Cavaliers have seen several rotation pieces go down with injuries this season, most recently J.R. Smith and Chris Andersen. Do they need to make a move to accommodate?

Categories:
Hoops Rumors Originals

Southeast Notes: Gay, Dragic, McRoberts

December 24th, 2016 at 8:47am CST by Austin Kent

The Magic have had conversations with the Kings about Rudy Gay, says Steve Kyler over Twitter. In his 11th season as a pro, the 30-year-old forward has shown an ability to produce despite turmoil and instability in Sacramento.

In 23 games so far this year, Gay has posted 18.6 points and 6.1 rebounds per game for the Kings and he does so with a reasonable $13.3MM contract, positioning him as a possible answer to the Magic’s offensive woes.

With so much going sideways in Orlando after an aggressive offseason of acquisitions, the decision to kick the tires on another established veteran falls in line with the approach they’ve been taking to their rebuild. Over the summer the Magic brought aboard veterans Serge Ibaka, Bismack Biyombo and Jeff Green, all with hefty contracts.

It’s unclear who would be on the way out of Orlando in such a deal, but there would need to be something significant exchanged as the Magic currently sit above the 2016/17 salary cap.

Also coming out of the Southeast Division:

Goran Dragic doesn’t know where the rumors started that suggested he was “open to a trade,” writes Ira Windermere of the Sun Sentinel. The 30-year-old guard insists that he is happy with the Heat.
If the Heat can find a taker for forward Josh McRoberts, he won’t come with much of a price tag adds Windermere in his latest Ask Ira feature. Windermere cites McRoberts’ 2017/18 player option worth $6MM as the biggest deterrent limiting the veteran’s value.
The Wizards were in the mix for Luol Deng this summer, says Zach Lowe of ESPN. The two parties had been discussing a three-year deal worth $20MM less than what the 31-year-old forward ultimately signed with the Lakers.

And-Ones: Age Limit, Marbury, Boone

December 23rd, 2016 at 10:55pm CST by Chris Crouse

Lou Williams, who came into the league out of high school, isn’t a fan of the NBA’s one-and-done rule, Baxter Holmes of ESPN.com relays. “It’s a dumb rule,” Williams said. He added that he wants everyone to be in control of their own path.

“Personally, I understand the NBA and government and all of these things are extremely different,” Williams said. “You can go to war at 18, so you should be able to make a living at 18, especially if college isn’t what you see for yourself. You’re not realistically going there to be a “student-athlete” and wake up at six in the morning and lift weights and then have your day full with study hall and all these things. If you’re really not committed to that process and you’re only there for basketball, then I think that hurts the university as well.”

Here’s more from around the league:

The NBA age limit isn’t changing anytime soon, Tom Ziller of SB Nation argues. Ziller doesn’t believe the proposed zero-or-two rule would require the league to devote more time scouting the high school ranks, something it aimed to move away from when it established the age minimum. The scribe also believes that the D-League is ready to become a serious alternative to playing in the NCAA.
Stephon Marbury said his time with the Knicks was the “toughest” stretch of his career, as Ian Begley of ESPN.com passes along. “So much turmoil was going on,” Marbury said. Marbury clashed with teammates and coaches during his five years with the team. He agreed to a buyout with New York back in 2009.
Melbourne United, a team in Australia’s National Basketball League, has signed Josh Boone, Olgun Uluc of Fox Sports reports. Boone last played in the NBA for the Nets during the 2009/10 season.

Pacific Notes: Tucker, Lawson, D’Antoni

December 23rd, 2016 at 9:58pm CST by Chris Crouse

The Suns want to become a team with a strong defensive mentality and they feel they have their best unit with P.J. Tucker in the line-up, Doug Haller of the Arizona Republic writes.

“If you go through the NBA and you were to ask every player about P.J. Tucker, I guarantee you everyone would say he’s one of the top defenders in the league,” coach Earl Watson said. “Players have this unwritten and unspoken respect that we have for each other, and you know who can really play and who can’t. P.J.’s been magnificent for us. He plays with his heart.”

Here’s more from the Pacific Division:

Ty Lawson is adjusting to his role of the bench for the Kings and coach Dave Joerger believes the point guard can give the team more than a typical reserve can, Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee writes. “Generally, backups will play 16 to 18 minutes,” Joerger said. “I think he’s way better than that … I want him to know I have the faith in him to play him longer minutes.” Lawson signed with Sacramento on a one-year deal during the offseason.
Lawson said he was “overthinking” earlier in the season, which led to him struggling, but the 29-year-old is starting to find his game again, Jones adds in the same piece. His teammates admire his aggressiveness in attacking the paint. “He’s the smallest guy on the floor with the biggest heart,” Cousins said. “To get down there and battle with the trees, he does it all.”
Mike D’Antoni speaks highly of the city of Phoenix and of his time with the Suns, as Jonathan Feigan of the Houston Chronicle relays. “Yeah, it’s special, there’s no doubt,” D’Antoni said. “It was special to live here, and the people and the fans. It was a good time.”

NBA To Offer Medical Benefits To Retired Players

December 23rd, 2016 at 8:43pm CST by Chris Crouse

The NBA will be the first professional sports league to offer medical benefits to its retired players, Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN.com reports. The benefits will be part of a comprehensive and enhanced retirement package for former players. Youngmisuk adds that both the owners and the NBPA were unanimous on the decision to take care of retired players.

After the passing of Darryl Dawkins and Moses Malone, commissioner Adam Silver and NBPA executive director Michele Roberts agreed that something had to be done in regards to helping retired players maintain their good health.

“[Malone’s and Dawkins’ deaths] sent shock waves through the whole basketball universe,” said Dwight Davis, the vice chairman for the National Basketball Retired Players Association. “Some of the deaths of retired players could have been avoidable because guys didn’t have insurance and weren’t doing yearly checkups.”

Davis added that the new health insurance plan will provide much needed financial relief to many retired players. “Some of my younger counterparts are guys in their 40s, some of those guys are paying $30,000 a year for health insurance for themselves and families because of preexisting injuries. The abuse our bodies take, it is hard to get affordable insurance as a retired player,” Davis continued.

Michael Jordan was a key advocate of providing benefits to retired players, as were current stars, such as Chris Paul, LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony.

“I’ve said it a number of times: the biggest thing is the health insurance that we got for some of our former players and stuff like that,” said Paul, who is the president of the players’ union’s executive committee. “No question. That was a huge priority. Well, I mean, it was a huge priority to keep the game going, first and foremost, for the fans. But at some point, one time or another, everybody out here is going to be a former player. You know what I mean? I think that shows how connected we are as a body of NBA players.”

The NBA and the players’ union will jointly fund a new health insurance plan, an education/career development program and the increases in pension benefits for retired players. The pensions for former players will increase by as much as $300 per month and players with at least 10 years of service will be eligible to receive health care coverage for themselves as well as their family, Youngmisuk adds. Retired players will also be eligible for tuition reimbursement and career transition programs.

“You have to look at the different decades, and you look at guys who are in their 40s, guys who have been away from the league for 10-15 years,” Davis said. “They were not making an average of $5 million a year like some of the guys now, and if you have a significant medial issue, a heart problem or organ problem, like the average American, you can become bankrupt.”

Prior to this new package, retired players received a pension from the league, but did not receive health insurance. The new CBA provides this benefit for retired players, but also includes includes other changes to the NBA landscape. Check out our CBA news archive for the latest updates on the new labor deal.

Rockets Notes: CBA, Harden, Capela

December 23rd, 2016 at 7:16pm CST by Chris Crouse

The CBA will give the Rockets the ability to sign James Harden to a super-max contract extension next summer due to a provision that allow the shooting guard to sign an extension in back-to-back offseasons. Houston’s front office/ownership initially proposed the rule and then pushed for it during negotiations, a source tells Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The team obviously wants to keep Harden in town long-term with an unanimous team executive telling Feigen that if the the Rockets could, they “would give [Harden] a 100-year extension.”

Here’s more from Houston:

The Rockets informal policy is to only discuss contracts extensions with a player once the deadline to do so approaches, though Harden may be the exception to that thinking, Feigen writes in the same piece. Harden could opt to become a free agent
Harden is thrilled with Houston and the ability to sign an even longer deal with the team, as Feigen relays in the same piece. “I love being here,” Harden said. “We’re going to win a lot. I’m excited to be here. That’s one of the reasons I extended this summer. Obviously, this year’s been great. I’ve been happy, probably the happiest I’ve been since I’ve been in a Rockets uniform. Everybody else is happy.”
The Rockets are having issues rebounding without Clint Capela in the line-up, Feigen writes in a separate piece. “We miss Clint. There’s no doubt,” coach Mike D’Antoni said. In this week’s edition of Fantasy Hoops, I examined which players are poised to take on a bigger role with Capela missing time.

Players Ratify New CBA

December 23rd, 2016 at 5:45pm CST by Chris Crouse

The NBA’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement is now official after the players voted to approve it, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports (Twitter link). Earlier in the week, the NBA Owners unanimously voted to approve the agreement, which left the players’ vote as the last step needed in order to ratify the new deal.

The votes from both sides were always considered a formality since the parties agreed to the term sheet earlier in the month. The new agreement will become effective on July 1, 2017.

For details on the league’s new Collective Bargaining Agreement, including changes to rules surrounding trades, contract extensions, free agency, and more, be sure to check out our CBA news archive, where we’ve been rounding up new updates as they’re reported.