NBA Teams – Page 1215 – NBA Blog

Miami Heat remain interested in Greg Oden

Pat Riley said the Heat remain interested in free-agent center Greg Oden, who is expected to defer his decision until next month as he works his way back from career-long knee issues.

“We do have interest in him and we will track him,” he said.

Riley said the Heat were not in contact with center Andrew Bynum, who ultimately took a free-agent deal from the Cleveland Cavaliers larger than the Heat could have offered.

As for spending more on coach Erik Spoelstra, whose contract is approaching its end, Riley said, “He’s one of the family here and as soon as that is broached, I’m sure it will be broached in a very positive manner.”

Under the new formula that goes into effect starting this coming season, the Heat, by currently standing $16 million over the $71,748,000 luxury-tax threshold set Tuesday by the NBA, would have to write a tax check to the league of $33.6 million at season’s end.

Reported by Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel

Raptors adding Bill Bayno to coaching staff

The Toronto Raptors continue to add to their coaching staff. Bill Bayno, who has worked under Rick Adelman in Minnesota since 2011, is joining Dwane Casey’s staff. Bayno, 51, has also been an assistant with Portland, and has an extensive history in college as both an assistant and head coach, including a brief stint at UNLV.

Bayno will have significant input on the team’s defence, although that remains the strength of Casey as a coach. Nonetheless, the Raptors’ defence slipped to 22nd in the league last year, so some adjustments will surely take place. Bayno joins Nick Nurse on the staff. Nurse, formerly of Rio Grande of the D-League, is thought to be a top up-and-coming offensive coach. Former Houston assistant Jesse Mermuys is also expected to join the Raptors’ staff. The Raptors have not confirmed the additions of Bayno or Mermuys.

Reported by Eric Koreen of the National Post

Devin Harris to Mavs deal may be off

The Dallas Mavericks have been forced to amend their plan to bring back former Mavericks stalwart Devin Harris after X-rays unexpectedly revealed that Harris has a dislocated toe on his left foot, according to sources close to the situation.

The Mavericks remain interested in signing Harris, sources said, but the parties have mutually agreed to shelve the three-year deal worth in excess of $9 million that Harris agreed to over the weekend and was poised to sign this week.

Sources told ESPN.com that Harris is now likely to have surgery on the toe by month’s end to put him in line for a return to the court by the start of the NBA’s regular season.

Upon learning of Harris’ need for surgery, Dallas reached terms Friday on a three-year deal worth at least $25 million to sign Milwaukee Bucks free agent Monta Ellis.

Reported by Marc Stein of ESPN.com

Bucks trade Luc Richard Mbah a Moute to Kings

The Milwaukee Bucks have traded forward Luc Richard Mbah a Moute (6-8, 230) to the Sacramento Kings, General Manager John Hammond announced today. The Bucks will receive the more favorable of two 2016 second round draft picks (Sacramento’s own pick or one acquired from New Orleans) and future considerations from the Kings in the transaction.

A five-year NBA veteran, Mbah a Moute appeared in 58 games (45 starts) last season and averaged 6.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per contest. Drafted by Milwaukee in the second round (37th overall) of the 2008 NBA Draft, the 26-year old native of Cameroon has played in 335 career games for Milwaukee with averages of 6.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.0 assists, while shooting 46.0 percent from the field and 67.9 percent from the free throw line.

Orlando Magic are not keeping DeQuan Jones

Unrestricted free agent swingman DeQuan Jones won’t return to the Orlando Magic for the 2013-14 season.

The Magic told him after their final summer league game this afternoon that they don’t intend to re-sign him. Team officials parted ways with Jones on good terms, and the team will consider other ways to use his roster spot.

Reported by Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (Blog)

Dallas Mavericks are signing Monta Ellis

The Dallas Mavericks continued to stack the deck in their backcourt Friday when they agreed to terms with Monta Ellis on a three-year contract worth close to $30 million.

Ellis becomes the fifth guard the Mavs have signed this off-season, joining Jose Calderon, Devin Harris, Gal Mekel and Ricky Ledo. They selected Shane Larkin in the first round of last month’s draft.

After losing out on Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum, Ellis is an ideal Plan C for the Mavs. He’s elusive, has a quick jumper and should allow the Mavs to play a more uptempo style.

Reported by Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram

Coach Jason Kidd says Nets can hang with Heat

With the acquisitions of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry finally made official Friday, Brooklyn Nets coach Jason Kidd wasted no time setting his team’s next target on the defending champion Miami Heat.

“They’re the blueprint, they’re the champs, they won it twice in a row, [and] they could have won it three times in a row,” Kidd said Friday. “They put that team together to try to win championships, and they’ve had a lot of success. So if you want to compete with them, you’ve got to have the horses. And I think we have that.”

Kidd spoke for the first time Friday about those high profile additions to the Nets’ roster after the league finally cleared the trade that sent Garnett, Pierce, Terry and D.J. White to Brooklyn, with the Boston Celtics receiving Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018. The Celtics also have the right to swap first-round picks with the Nets in 2017.

The deal was agreed to June 27, but was held up due to the league moratorium on player movement, as well as minor contract stipulations.

— Reported by Michael Wallace of ESPN.com

Golden State Warriors sign Marreese Speights

The Golden State Warriors have confirmed the deal struck earlier this week with free agent Marreese Speights.

The announcement Friday gives Golden State another versatile power forward off the bench whom they hope can fill the void left by Carl Landry, who agreed to a four-year, $26 million contract with the Sacramento Kings last Saturday…

Speights’ deal is for three years and about $11 million. The third year is a team option.

Reported by the Associated Press

Kobe Bryant expects to only play for Lakers in his NBA career

Kobe Bryant told ESPNLosAngeles.com on Wednesday that he fully intends to retire as a Laker someday and doesn’t believe there will be any problem securing an extension for as long as he can play at an elite level.

There have yet to be any discussions between Bryant’s camp and the Lakers about an extension, he said, so neither side has any idea yet what type of salary he will command. Bryant is currently the highest-paid player in the league at $30.5 million this season.

“As a businessman the goal is always to not take a pay cut,” Bryant said. “But …”

Reported by Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles

Miami Heat have no plans to use amnesty clause

For now, the prospects of paying a big luxury-tax bill next year is not enough to dissuade the Miami Heat from its plan to keep the its current championship core intact.

Heat president Pat Riley said Friday that the team does not currently plan to use its one-time amnesty option as a way of lightening its looming tax load, with the team’s focus instead being on simply finding ways to get better.

“Right now, we’re not using amnesty, no,” Riley said.

Amnesty would allow the Heat to essentially cut one player and pay whatever is left on his contract, but without that salary counting against the team’s cap space or add to future luxury-tax bills. Miami is currently in line to pay more than $30 million in tax for the coming season, though could shave off at least one-quarter of that by parting with someone like Joel Anthony or Mike Miller.

Reported by the Associated Press