Category: NBA Teams

NBA teams blog

Sixers designing their new practice facility

Here’s the Philadelphia Inquirer reporting on the 76ers:

The Sixers, the last NBA franchise left without its own practice facility, are looking at the Thunder and several other NBA franchises as they design their 120,000-square-foot practice facility and team headquarters in Camden. New Jersey awarded the franchise $82 million in tax credits over 10 years to build it on the waterfront.

None of this should be surprising if you think about what the Eagles have done with the NovaCare Complex. That’s the type of facility that most NBA teams have. Those days when Charles Barkley worked out at the St. Joseph’s Fieldhouse, sharing the place with the Hawks, are long gone.

In Oklahoma City, there are a heated lap pool, a car detailer, and a barber on site. Sure, they have a restaurant. Most of these places have cafeterias. But their goal is to have the best restaurant in Oklahoma City.

The idea is to make the practice facility a place that players will go to year-round. And if you can get a haircut just steps off the playing court, you’re more likely to step on that playing court. Or maybe get your leg iced while you’re getting your hair cut. Same for the restaurant. At the least, you get a nutritious meal. Best case, it gets you on the court or looking at film for a few extra minutes.

Grizzlies hope to sign Zach Randolph to contract extension

Zach Randolph still may look like a 14-year-old kid when you look at his face from certain angles, but the big veteran power forward has game, and the Grizzlies hope to keep him around. Here’s ESPN.com reporting:

Grizzlies hope to sign Zach Randolph to contract extension

The Memphis Grizzlies are hopeful of coming to terms on a contract extension with former All-Star forward Zach Randolph before free agency starts July 1, according to sources close to the situation.

Randolph must decide by June 30 whether to opt out of the final season of his contract, which is valued at $16.5 million, but sources told ESPN.com that the Grizzlies are working to hammer out the specifics of an extension with Randolph before the 32-year-old is exposed to other potential bidders.

If the Grizzlies are intent on lowering Randolph’s salary starting next season, such a deal would have to wait until after July 1 to be completed and require Randolph to opt out, become a free agent and sign a new long-term deal at a reduced rate. If the Grizzlies are prepared to wait until the 2015-16 season for Randolph’s salary to be reduced, they could extend him for up to three years at lowered terms after he opts in for 2014-15 at the $16.5 million.

Bulls reportedly seek trade for Arron Afflalo

The season of signing, trading, drafting, etc. is rapidly approaching. League-wide, roster-flipping fun will soon be upon us. Here’s Yahoo Sports reporting on the Bulls:

Bulls reportedly seek trade for Arron Afflalo

The Chicago Bulls are pursuing a trade for Orlando Magic swingman Arron Afflalo, league sources told Yahoo Sports.

Afflalo, 28, has two years left on his contract – including an Early Termination Option (ETO) provision next summer – and front office executives believe the Magic are prioritizing a trade for Afflalo over working to extend his contract.

It is unclear how the Bulls’ pursuit of Afflalo would impact the franchise’s free-agent interest in New York Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony.

Nets, Cavs discuss a Marcus Thornton, Jarrett Jack trade

With the draft and free agency soon approaching, rosters are going to start shifting around, and reports about specific targets that various teams have will start to materialize. Here’s ESPN.com reporting on the Nets and Cavs:

Nets, Cavs discuss a Marcus Thornton, Jarrett Jack trade

The Brooklyn Nets and Cleveland Cavaliers are discussing a swap of guards Marcus Thornton and Jarrett Jack, according to sources briefed on the talks.

Sources told ESPN.com that the Nets, amid fears that they’ll be unable to re-sign Shaun Livingston in free agency, have identified Jack as a prime target to either help fill the void or improve their backcourt versatility.

Elfrid Payton could interest the Magic

Here’s the Orlando Sentinel reporting on the Magic:

When Elfrid Payton entered his senior year at John Ehret High School outside New Orleans, he wasn’t even the most highly regarded guard on the varsity basketball team.

Payton was only 16 years old, and he looked more like a junior-high student than a potential Division I recruit. He measured 6-feet-1 and only 145 pounds. Indeed, most recruiters focused instead on his backcourt mate, a player named O.C. Tart.

But Tart got into trouble midway through the 2010-11 season, and Tart’s suspension forced Payton to play a bigger role. Payton led Ehret to the state semifinals, and his play netted him a scholarship offer from Louisiana-Lafayette.

These days, Payton ranks as one of the better point-guard prospects in the 2014 NBA Draft, and he could entice the Orlando Magic when the team makes its second pick of the first round, at 12th overall.

Jazz looking for talent more than position help at NBA Draft

Here’s the Salt Lake Tribune reporting on the Utah Jazz:

The Utah Jazz roster is one of the youngest in the NBA, and one of the least experienced in the league. Indeed, the Jazz have pinned their future to a core of five young players. And of that quintet, only Gordon Hayward is approaching the age of 25.

But despite the youth — and the lumps this team took last season — General Manager Dennis Lindsey loves the balance of the group. There’s a developmental guy at every position. There are vastly varying skill sets with the younger players, and that lends hope to fans that would like to see a proud franchise return back to its winning ways.

The makeup of the team also has helped with the upcoming NBA Draft. If there’s a team in the top five that can truly focus on picking the best player available — instead of need — it’s the Utah Jazz. And from the beginning of the process, that’s been the mantra of Lindsey, his right hand Justin Zanik and player development guru Walt Perrin.

None of that has philosophy has changed with the hiring of new head coach Quin Snyder. In fact, it helps in terms of continuity that Snyder and Lindsey feel the same on many player personnel issues. But the overall mission of the draft has stayed consistent with Snyder on board: On Thursday night, the Utah Jazz want to pick the best player on the board at No. 5. Even if that best player has a few warts.

Celtics seek trade for Kevin Love

Here’s the Boston Herald reporting on the Celtics, who like many NBA teams would happily add Kevin Love to their roster:

Celtics seek trade for Kevin Love

The Celtics’ pursuit of Kevin Love isn’t as hot as reports are indicating.

Sources close to the situation have told the Herald that Boston’s offer of draft picks and players isn’t nearly the best the Timberwolves have received — or expect to receive — for their All-Star forward.

The Celtics are willing to discuss a number of options, but none of them includes the quality of player with NBA experience that Minnesota is seeking or believes it can get elsewhere.

One source indicated Denver and Golden State have both made more intriguing offers, and there are other teams very much in the picture, as well. There have been conflicting reports on whether the Warriors would make Klay Thompson available, but the Wolves are said to be confident they can find a more than acceptable deal there.

Dwight Howard is a Carmelo Anthony fan

Here’s the New York Post reporting on Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony, whose future could be in New York, or take the super-scorer elsewhere:

Dwight Howard is a Carmelo Anthony fan

Rockets center Dwight Howard hasn’t spoken to Carmelo Anthony recently, but he has hope Anthony will take a long look at Houston when he becomes a free agent.

Howard can’t forget the time Anthony — who can opt out of his Knicks contract and enter free agency July 1 — gave him the ultimate compliment years ago. Howard won’t be doing the recruiting, but said, “It would be great to have him.”

“I think he just wants to win right now,” Howard said in a Q&A with USA Today. “That’s his only goal. I’ve always been a Melo fan. One thing he said in an interview a long time ago, I think my first or second year in the league, I remember him saying that if he could play with one guy in the league, he would play with Dwight Howard, so you never know. You never know what could happen.”

Kendrick Perkins has advice for Kevin Durant

Here’s the Oklahoman reporting on the Thunder:

Kendrick Perkins has suggestion for Kevin Durant

Kendrick Perkins, Durant’s most outspoken teammate, didn’t mind offering up a specific suggestion.

Hit the weight room.

“I feel like he could get stronger, in my opinion,” Perkins said. “I think that would help him a lot. I told him all the good and great players that played the game, from Jordan, Kobe, LeBron, they all put size on them, and it helped them.”

More strength, Perkins said, will only benefit Durant’s body and set the stage for him to succeed in demanding times. For Durant, those include the need to be a better and more consistent defender, a more dependable low-post scoring threat and to persevere through seasons like this past one in which Durant’s minutes piled up to an outlandish league-leading tally.

“Seems like there was possessions he was tired,” Perkins said of Durant. “But, like I said, I think that’s (when) getting in the weight room plays a factor. Cause then you could let your body take over.”