Of all the journeymen signed by Stan Van Gundy this offseason, Aaron Gray is perhaps the most puzzling. Is Gray just a practice dummy or does the new coach look for him to play a role this season?
The 29-year-old center isn't exactly the player who you expect to see signed within the first week of the free agency season. He's played for four different teams and never surpassed 900 minutes in a season. Even more puzzling was that his contract was reported to be a multi-year deal.
With the roster size already near bursting heading in to the offseason, Gray's signing foretold the decision not to pick up Josh Harrellson's non-guaranteed contract despite a promising season with the Pistons last year.
2013-14 Year in Review
After two years as the reserve big body for the Toronto Raptors, Gray was packaged as part of the deal with the Sacramento Kings that shipped Rudy Gay out of town. Gray had only seen 20 minutes by that point, even though the season was more than a month old.
He found some minutes in Sacramento, helping back up DeMarcus Cousins at time and providing some bullk to their frontcourt. But he was mostly ineffective, putting up a career-low field goal percentage and turning the ball over at a career-high rate.
Gray at least seemed to provide some help defensively, with the fourth-best defensive rating on the team. But according to NBA Stats player tracking, he was ineffective protecting the rim, allowing opponents to score at a 70.9 percent clip at the rim.
The things that earned Gray a multi-year contract aren't what show up in the box scores. Things like being 7 foot, 270 pounds, toughness, boxing out, and setting teeth rattling picks.
2014-15 Projected Production
Gray has averaged 550 minutes each season for his career, so not much. With Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe splitting the majority of the minutes at center, there shouldn't be many left for Gray unless if the situation changes.
If we see much of Gray, it means something went wrong.
The hope for the biggest role for Gray will be as a physical presence in practices going up against Drummond and Monroe. There aren't a ton of players with his size and competitiveness willing to sign for a minimum contract and content with a spot at the end of the bench.
If we see much of Gray, it means something went wrong. That could mean Monroe's impending free agency. If Monroe were traded at some point this season and the Pistons did not receive a center in return, Gray would be forced into the rotation. While Monroe and Drummond were a durable duo last season, if one of the two missed time it would also mean playing time for Gray.
Prediction
Aaron Gray has a history with two influential members of the new Pistons' leadership. He was a favorite of new general manager Jeff Bower from his time in New Orleans and played for assistant coach Brendan Malone last year in Sacramento, so they know what they're getting.
With the 12th man spot, Van Gundy and Bower opted for reliability over upside. Hopefully the biggest impact Gray has is off the court, helping Drummond's development and providing some leadership in the locker room.
15 games, 10 mpg, 2.5 points per game, 3 rebounds per game
After signing Jerome Jordan last week, the Nets continue to bring in big men to compete for a final roster spot in training camp, this time Hamady Ndiaye, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports.
7-footer Hamady Ndiaye has agreed to a camp contract with Brooklyn, where he'll compete for third center spot, league sources tell Yahoo.
Ndiaye is a 27-year-old, 7-footer who was drafted in 2010 by the Minnesota Timberwolves after playing at Rutgers, where he was Big East Defensive Player of the Year . He spent two seasons with the Washington Wizards between 2010 and 2012, and played for the Kings last season. Ndiaye has come off the bench for nearly all of his career, playing around five minutes per game and not averaging more than one point per game.
John Schuhmann notes that the big man who played for Senegal in the FIBA World Cup gave the Gasol brothers trouble in the Round of 16, more in fact that Gorgiu Dieng.
Gave Gasols some trouble on off. glass early in Rof16 game. RT @WojYahooNBA: 7-footer Hamady Ndiaye has agreed to a camp contract with BKN.
It's interesting that Woj says that the big man will compete for the third center spot for the Nets considering the team drafted Cory Jefferson with the last pick of the draft and the team just signed Jordan to a training camp deal. The Jordan and N'Diaye signings may signal that the team is concerned about its ability to rebound this season.
Both Kings fans and the Sacramento front office let out a sigh of relief when Rudy Gay opted into his player option this summer and would be staying for at least another year. Gay had been a big success in his first year in Sacramento after coming over in a trade from Toronto. He averaged career-highs in points, field goal percentage and assists all while finally solving the seemingly endless hole at the Small Forward position.
The only thing that isn't great about Rudy so far has been his price. That aforementioned player option was worth a whopping $19.3 million, and it put the Kings in a tricky cap situation for this year and may have contributed to the team not re-signing Isaiah Thomas (although I do not think this was the main issue on that front).
Any extension for Rudy Gay is not going to be nearly as high as his current salary. Still, there's plenty of reason to believe that he'll still get a sizeable amount, and possibly be overpaid once again.
First let's take a look at some of the contracts other prominent wing players around the league received this summer:
Obviously Rudy isn't going to get LeBron or Melo money, but he's probably looking at something more than what Luol Deng received in Miami. Now Deng is a solid defensive player and Gay is not, but Gay is also younger and far more productive on offense.
One thing that could tamper down the price on Gay is the fact that he's still got a bit of a stigma about him in the league. There's a feeling he's a guy who is really talented but doesn't really contribute to winners. Now personally I think that's a little overblown considering he was part of the Memphis Grizzlies as they became good, but it's still a widely held perspective and it won't go away until he starts playing for a winner. Look at Monta Ellis, who had similar things said about him. He ended up signing for a lot less money than he was asking for initially (3 years, $25 million).
Signing an extension is a two-way process and both the Kings and Rudy would have to come to an agreement. For Rudy, the benefit is long term security but at the cost of potential freedom if he doesn't like his situation (i.e. if the Kings continue to suck). For the Kings, the benefit is also long term security, although that comes with the cost of possibly overpaying and locking in an asset that might not be as good as it was this year (see Thornton, Marcus for a recent example).
I don't doubt that the Kings are working very hard to get Rudy locked into an extension before the season begins, but if it doesn't happen don't worry. It doesn't mean Rudy is gone, it just means we'll have to try again next summer, with almost $25 million in cap space to fall back on if he does leave.
The full details of the trade see Terry going to Houston along with two future second round picks for Alonzo Gee, Scotty Hopson and a small trade exception (about $1.4 million by my calculation).
Giving up two second round picks just to get rid of Terry isn't a particularly great deal, but it does give the Kings much more flexibility this year. The Kings aren't expected to keep Gee or Hopson, but both of their contracts are fully unguaranteed without a guarantee date, meaning the Kings could opt to bring in both to training camp before making a decision to waive them.
Jason Terry came to the Kings in last February's trade of Marcus Thornton to Brooklyn, but unlike the other piece of that trade, Reggie Evans, Terry did not join the team. Although it was speculated that the Kings might buy him out or that they would waive him via the stretch provision, it seems clear that Terry was not interested in a buyout and that it was in both parties best interest to look for a trade.
UPDATE 1:30 PM:
Exception, I'm told, worth $5.85 million and one of largest in the NBA. Third, perhaps, behind Minny's K. Love & Rox' Jeremy Lin exceptions?
So it appears that the Kings must have used the $3.6 million trade exception from the Isaiah Thomas trade (it was not $7.2 million as was first thought although I'm still confused as to why) to get Alonzo Gee and Scotty Hopson and then traded Terry to Houston for a bigger, $5.85 million exception. That's some more value the Kings received in the deal.
UPDATE 1:47 PM:
Sam has confirmed that my scenario from the above tweet is what he's hearing happened. Also, I got some clarification as to why Isaiah's TPE was only $3.6 million instead of $7.2 million and it's because of the old "Base Year Compensation" rules, which according to Larry Coon's CBA FAQ state:
If a team re-signs its Larry Bird or Early Bird free agent in order to trade the player in a sign-and-trade transaction, the player's new salary is greater than the minimum, he receives a raise greater than 20%, and the team is at or above the cap after the signing, then the player's outgoing salary for trade purposes is either his previous salary or 50% of his new salary, whichever is greater.
Because Isaiah was part of a sign-and-trade transaction and the other criteria was met, the Base Year Compensation kicked in and his salary only counted as 50% of his actual trade value in an outgoing trade, thus why the exception was only 50% of his new contract.
Also I've seen some people asking for clarification on how this trade went down since Exceptions can't be combined with other players. Essentially, this was a multi-step trade.
First, the Kings sent the two second round picks to Houston for Alonzo Gee and Scotty Hopson (about $4.4 million in salary). Because the Kings didn't have the salary cap to absorb these players, they absorbed them into trade exceptions. Gee at $3 million went to the Isaiah exception ($3.6 million) while Hopson ($1.4 million) fit under the Thornton exception ($2.4 million).
With Gee and Hopson both off their salary cap, the Rockets now had enough space to fully absorb Terry's $5.85 million contract. The Kings send Terry to Houston and in return, they get a $5.85 million exception that they can use for one year. This increased TPE is the real value the Kings received in the trade and it took some clever maneuvering for the Kings to pull it off. How the Kings use this TPE will determine whether it was worth giving up their two future 2nd round picks.
The Miami Heat revealed numerous front office changes in a press release today, revealing a clearer image as to how the Heat will battle adversity in this coming season.
Earlier this month it was announced that Miami Heat assistant coaches Ron Rothstein and Bob McAdoo would be stepping down from their roles and thus would be moving on to other ventures within the organization. In the case of Rothstein, he is set to join the Sun Sports broadcasting team after retiring from coaching, while McAdoo is set to become a member of Miami's scouting team. Nevertheless, it was obvious that the Heat organization would be replacing the two coaches, and word as to who will be joining Erik Spoelstra on the bench and in the locker rooms has finally been revealed.
In a press release issued by the Heat, the team has announced that Keith Smart and Chris Quinn will join the assistant coaching staff along with promotions for David Fizdale (Assistant Head Coach), Juwan Howard (Assistant Coach), and Dan Craig (Assistant Coach/Director of Player Development). Other front office hirees include Brandon Gilliam as Assistant Trainer/Director of Rehabilitation, Eric Foran as Assistant Strength & Conditioning coach, Wes Brown as Assistant Trainer, and finally Octavio De La Grana who will serve as a player development coach as well as Director of Minor League Operations. The most noteworthy of that long list, are of course Smart and Quinn.
Smart is a welcome addition to the coaching staff. After an exceptional college career where he was a standout on the 1986-1987 NCAA championship Indiana Hoosiers team, he had a minuscule stint in the NBA where he played for the San Antonio Spurs for two games, but ended up going overseas for the majority of his career. Since his playing days, Smart has bounced around coaching positions in the NBA. He's been head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, and most recently the Sacramento Kings. Smart brings a coaching record of 93 wins and 170 losses, as well as over 25 years of basketball experience and will definitely aid in decision-making down the line.
Heat fans should remember Quinn, who played three and half seasons with the Miami Heat for both Pat Riley and Erik Spoelstra. Quinn played in the NBA for six years on numerous teams including Miami, New Jersey, Cleveland, as well as San Antonio. During his playing days, Quinn worked his way to an NBA contract playing for Miami in the 2006 Orlando Summer League. It was in 2007 however, that Quinn began to see floor time after Gary Payton retired, and Dwyane Wade fell victim to injury. After being waived by the Cavaliers in 2013, Quinn served as a director of player development at Northwestern University. With his NBA experience, Quinn has gained invaluable experience that will hopefully aid Miami in returning to postseason glory.
Gilliam, Brown, and Foran are of course world class trainers as well and definitely standouts on the list of new staff members. Gilliam brings much experience to the Heat after owning and operating his own private practice for eight years and specializing as a physical trainer for entertainers and athletes. He will be in charge of overseeing player rehabilitation. Brown is no stranger to the South Florida heat having spent the last seven years as the University of Miami's Associate Athletic Trainer. He will be set to monitor the day-to-day health of players during the season, postseason, and offseason. Foran has spent the last two seasons with the Heat as a strength and conditioning intern, and his familiarity with the team will provide an advantage in structuring their training regiments.
While Heat Nation has not yet seen these coaches perform their duties in a live setting, it appears as if Miami is gearing up to make a long run into the postseason. Each coach brings something unique to the table and will aid the team in performing to the best of their ability come the start of the regular season. It's obvious that the Heat are preparing to add to their championship legacy, and adding experienced coaches is just one step in pursuing that ultimate goal.
Hollins has been a back-up center for the duration of his career, and while his numbers are laregly underwhelming, it's easy to see why the Kings would want to sign him. He's a long, athletic big man. He blocks shots at a decent rate (1.6 blocks per 36 minutes for his career, 2.3 per 36 last season). He's also athletic and quick enough to run the fast break, which the Kings reportedly plan on doing a lot of this season.
Many Kings fans may frown on this signing, as plenty have sour memories of Hollins as a member of the Clippers for the last two seasons. My hope is that Hollins is one of those players you hate until he's on your team (a la Reggie Evans). My fear is that he's one of those players you hate even more when you're forced to root for him.
The other wrinkle to this signing is that it gives the Kings a legitimate back-up center other than Jason Thompson. Let the JT trade speculation begin resume.
So why did the Kings sign him? Hollins is essentially an experienced version of Eric Moreland, someone who can bring that type of skillset but also can come in and play right away. Hollins signing probably means Moreland is even further out of the rotation than he already was.
Over his career Ryan Hollins has been a solid, if not spectacular shotblocker. His career block rate of 3.4% is above average, but hardly elite. That number isn't super reflective of his overall impact however, as last year his block rate was a very good 4.9%. For comparison, DeMarcus Cousins had a block rate of 3.2% last year. Hollins length allows him to be a very good rim protector. According to NBA.com, opponent FG% at the rim against Hollins was a paltry 36.6% last year, the best of any player to play at least 60 games and average 0.5 blocks a game. Mind you, that came in only 8 minutes a game, likely against opposing backups, but it's still a fantastic number.
Hollins is not a very good rebounder for his size however, with only a 12.5% career defensive rebound rate. All in all, he's the worst rebounding big man on the Kings roster already, on par with a Rudy Gay or Derrick Williams. Fortunately for Hollins the Kings are a very good rebounding team thanks to DeMarcus Cousins and Reggie Evans, two of the best rebounders in the league.
Offensively, Hollins is limited to right around the basket, but he's judicious and efficient with his touches. Hollins has a career FG% of 57.6% and both his last two seasons with the Clippers featured him shooting over 60% from the field (being on a team with Chris Paul and a bunch of other weapons likely helped). 30 of Hollins' 72 FGA last year were dunks, of which he only missed one.
He's athletic enough that he could play next to DeMarcus Cousins at times or any of our other big men and he's well suited in playing a fast pace as the Kings seemingly want to do. He isn't an exciting signing but he's a useful veteran who fills a couple needs for the Kings without being too expensive.
Kings co-owner Andy Miller weighs in about what types of technology the Kings are looking into for the new arena and how they will be testing some technology at Sleep Train Arena this season. Plus, a redesigned Kings app is expected to launch when the season begins.
With the new Kings regime came a lot of ties to the Silicon Valley, which in turn, has created the potential for molding technology with sports in Sacramento.
At the forefront of that push is co-owner Andy Miller, who is in charge of technology for the Kings. With the demolition of Downtown Plaza over a month-and-half in, the Kings continue to delve into ways to link the new arena with innovative technology. One thing Miller, the former vice president of mobile advertising with Apple, says the team is looking into is "smart" lighting.
"Not just LED, but equipped with sensors to monitor traffic flow and environmental conditions, networked to provide data and control. It will give us a lot of data for easing congestion, safety and energy savings," Miller said.
The Kings also are looking into expanded Wi-Fi offerings that aren't even scheduled for limited release until 2016, according to Miller. The new arena is slated to open in October 2016. Other new technology that is being reviewed relates to sound, seat comfort, fabrics, traffic, parking, loyalty and beacon technology. The Kings will be testing some new technology in limited pockets of Sleep Train Arena this season in order to "work out the kinks for the new arena."
"We will test some new Wi-Fi technology. It won't be noticeable to most people, but it will be killer for the new stadium," Miller said. "Real innovative approach to get the most coverage possible and allow for a multimedia experience through the app at the seat."
Other testing could include multicasting to ensure instant replays at your seat and "smart" kiosks for ticket entry. Plus, new camera technology is going in now, Miller said.
The Kings app will also be completely redesigned. The goal is to launch a new version when the season begins. Miller and company wants it to be the first "state-ware" app in sports.
"The app will be location-aware and state-specific. Meaning if you are at the game you will get a different interface and different information like in-seat ordering, or traffic reports or game specials than if you were at home," Miller said. "The app will also shift information and interface as game time gets closer."
In-stadium replays and video angle control also is expected to be incorporated.
With all this said, fans ultimately want to know if the team is going to get better on the floor, and Miller thinks the Kings will exceed expectations this season.
"We have a good core. I really like [Darren] Collison. Our defense will improve. Boogie's experience with FIBA was invaluable and he is in ridiculous shape," Miller said. "Hopefully, Ben [McLemore] continues to mature, and [Nik] Stauskas is the real deal."
Miller is doing his best to help Kings general manager Pete D'Alessandro with the roster - he's working on a "proprietary analytics package for Pete and his team with loads of data inputs."
By now you have probably heard that Rex Chapman was arrested for stealing a bushel of Apple products.
The Associated Press reports:
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Former NBA guard Rex Chapman has been arrested for allegedly shoplifting $14,000 worth of merchandise from an Apple store in Scottsdale and then selling the items at a pawn shop.
Police took Chapman, 46, into custody Friday afternoon after officers stopped his vehicle in northeast Scottsdale.
They say he's being held on suspicion of nine counts of organized retail theft and five counts of trafficking in stolen property.
Police say Chapman made it appear he was using the store's self-checkout but left without paying.
He allegedly stole from the store seven times and sold the items for cash.
This is pretty ridiculous, especially since it was Apple stuff. Or then again, if it was $14k worth of Apple things it could just be one USB cord or something. I don't know. I heard their stuff is pretty pricy. In light of all the bad press the NFL has been getting this is exactly what they want from the NBA -- to be a distraction. Right? Because it's the NBA that's full of criminals?
That's what the NBA used to be called, but times have changed. But like with all organizations, the NBA also has dumb crooks too. Here's a list of former Utah Jazz players who have dumbed it down for Johnny Law:
February 19th, 2014: Ronnie Brewer pulled over for drunk driving in Beverly Hills. His Blood alcohol level was .15, which is pretty high.
June 14th, 2011: DeShawn Stevenson was arrested for public intoxication two days after winning the NBA Championship. It was his third career arrest, we all remember the statutory rape case a year after getting involved in a high school brawl on draft night.
February 28th, 2010: Al Jefferson was pulled over for poor driving skills, then failed a field sobriety test. Of course, this is all on him, and this doesn't involve his involvement in a domestic abuse case as the victim from his Jazz days.
February 26th, 2010: Carlos Arroyo was arrested for 'driving too slowly', which made cops label him as a suspicious driver. He was pulled over and arrested for resisting and being non-cooperative with the police. According to the mug shot they kind of roughed him up too. So, yeah, welcome to that minority life, SLC Dunk.
July 31st, 2008: Josh Howard was arrested for careless and reckless driving, and for being involved in a speed competition. Drugs and alcohol were not involved. So he was just being a jerk and endangering the lives of other people while sober. Classy.
May 7th, 2008: Richard Jefferson was arrested for assault and/or battery. Vets.
February 6th, 2007: Jamaal Tinsley was arrested for battery, disorderly conduct, and intimidation. Clearly the intimidation was the threat that he would attempt to defend the pick and roll. (Few things Jamaal does is scarier)
July 29th, 2002: Keon Clark -- I don't even know where to start. Well, it starts with alcohol and reckless driving. But that's not even the starting point for Keon. He's had a difficult life.
July 23rd, 2001: Olden Polynice -- Olden was arrested for the third time in less than a year with this one, it was for assault and disturbing the peace. This was the golf course incident where a golfer hit him by accident with the ball (on the arm), and then Olden went Old-school on that dude by punching him in the face and spitting on him. It's the third assault charge of his career, and his fifth arrest -- the previous two in Utah were for impersonating a police officer.
June 19th, 2001: DeShawn Stevenson, this was the consensual sex with a 14 year old, which is technically still statutory rape.
June 11th, 2001: Keon Clark, uh, domestic battery, driving with a suspended license, and well, this is essentially Keon just being Keon.
December 8th, 2000: Olden Polynice road rage incident, and impersonating a police officer #2
October 28th, 2000: Olden Polynice road rage where he followed someone home, and impersonating a police officer #1
June 28th, 2000: DeShawn Stevenson draft night fight
May 20th, 1999: Keon Clark had a marijuana possession charge, but he was with the Denver Nuggets back then . . . so . . . no harm, no foul?
October 17th, 1996: Olden Polynice had an assault charge with the Sacramento Kings
January 24th, 1994: Luther Wright got a disorderly conduct charge after he was attacking and smashing vehicles along the side of a road. He was kinda absolved of some of this because this was caused by the wrong meds he was on at the time for his mental problems.
September 27th, 1993: Bad Boy (member of the Detroit Pistons at this time) Olden Polynice got charged with assault with a deadly weapon. So, like, did the Jazz just not do back ground checks in the 2000s?
May 24th, 1985: John Drew was arrested for writing bad checks at a Salt Lake grocery store. He would later receive a lifetime ban from the NBA for drug offenses.
June 10th, 1980: Wes Matthews (the dad of Wesley Matthews) was charged for Marijuana possession. Wes never played for the Jazz, but well, I'm adding it here.
April 18th, 1971: Pete Maravich was charged with drunk driving back in the olden days. Which probably meant he had a blood alcohol level of anti-freeze.
So, our Jazz family has been involved in some stupid stuff over the years, mostly Olden and D-Steve. What Rex did was really dumb too. I never liked Rex, so I can't pass up this opportunity to showcase his stupidity. (For the record, in 27 games against the Jazz he averaged 15.1 ppg, 2.8 rpg, and 2.6 apg while shooting 45 / 32 / 83 against us.) But he's not the only NBA player to get arrested. And even our Jazz guys aren't angels. (N.B. Not all the arrests of Jazzmen happened when they were playing for the Jazz, though. And not all the bad stuff is listed here. Darrell Griffith was held in an airport for a bit, back in the summer one year during his playing days, because he was suspected as a drug mule.)
The NBA has cleaned up a bit. And the Jazz have really gone out of the way to stock their team with choir boys right now. Really, who are the 'bad boys' on this team? Enes Kanter, who as a teen liked girls, and Alec Burks who just doesn't give great interviews?
Still, though, Rex. Man. Apple products? To pawn? Not a good look.
The Kings have added a veteran guard to their backcourt.
In a move to shore up the backcourt, the Kings have come to an agreement to sign Ramon Sessions to a 2 year, $4.2 million contract using their bi-annual exception. Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report the deal.
Sessions was easily one of the better free agents left available and will make a solid addition to Sacramento's bench. He will likely fill in at both guard positions, although he's primarily a backup Point Guard. Sessions has career averages of 11.7 points on 43.9% from the field to go with 4.7 assists, 3.0 rebounds and 0.8 steals a game. He also has an above average career PER of 16.7 and a career assist rate of 30.6%, higher than that of Darren Collison.
Sessions is an erratic outside shooter, making just 31.1% of his career threes, but he has had good years from outside in the past. In the 2011-12 season he hit 44.3% of his threes, but followed it up the next two years with just 30.8% and 28.2% efforts respectively. Sessions makes up for his poor outside shooting by getting to the rim. He has a very high Free Throw Attempt Rate averaging almost 1 FTA for every 2 FGA he shoots. Almost 62% of his career FGAs have come within 10 feet of the basket.
Defensively, Sessions is far from an impact player, with a below average steal rate and defensive rating throughout the years. Last year in Charlotte, a team that was good defensively, opponents scored two points more when Sessions was on the floor than when he was off.
Signing Sessions likely means less of a role this year for Ray McCallum. McCallum was set to be Darren Collison's primary backup, but that job now belongs to Ramon Sessions. McCallum likely will still get time, possibly in occasional sets where the Kings play Sessions at Shooting Guard.
Sacramento's roster stands at 14 players on guaranteed deals now, and I wouldn't be surprised if more moves occur before the season begins.
Sacramento's signing of Ramon Sessions today surprised some people who were a little confused as to why the Kings were relegating promising youngster Ray McCallum further to the bench. McCallum had a very impressive summer league and also showed flashes of brilliance at the end of last season when taking over for the injured Isaiah Thomas.
Before the Sessions' signing, McCallum was set to be Darren Collison's primary backup for next season, one of the pros for many fans upset at the loss of Isaiah Thomas. Now McCallum is back to being a third string Point Guard, just like for most of his rookie year.
It seems for now that the Kings are fine with bringing on McCallum slowly rather than throwing him right into the fire, a developmental tactic that I am more than alright with. Sessions and Collison are both veterans that will be able to give productive minutes while McCallum can play spot minutes and continue to grow as a player, while being ready to step in if the opportunity comes. Despite his promise as a player, he's still a young player with flaws; Last season he shot just 37.8% on two point shots. For comparison, Ben McLemore was at 41.9% on two point shots and nobody was calling him a good shooter.
I would also be remiss not to note that McCallum now becomes more expendable as a trade asset. The Kings now have a decent 1-2 punch at PG now with Collison and Sessions, and McCallum has some value thanks to his youth, talent and small contract. For a team that doesn't particularly have a great many assets in the first place, McCallum is one that could be used in a future trade. But by no means does this signing signal that the Kings are actively looking to trade McCallum.
McCallum is also still eligible to play in Reno this season, and I wouldn't be surprised if he spends some more time down there. We've been used to having our young guys play a lot of meaningful minutes early in their career, but much of that was simply because we haven't had any better options. Now we do, and the Kings have the luxury of taking a slower approach that will hopefully pay dividends in the future.
The Kings haven't made any huge moves this offseason but they have added quite a few complementary pieces.
The Kings have been pretty active this offseason, even if it's only been minor moves and additions rather than a major game-changing trade or signing. This past week saw the Kings add Ryan Hollins, Omri Casspi and Ramon Sessions, and they've also added Nik Stauskas and Eric Moreland earlier in the summer.
Personally, I don't think the Kings are completely done making moves just yet, especially considering that the logjam that is the Power Forward position still exists. But as of now, I look at our team and see one of the better benches that we've had in years.
That might sound like an exaggeration, but I don't think it is, especially if you consider getting Carl Landry back and healthy as another addition to our team that we didn't really have last year.
Now a few of those players can also play multiple positions but for once the Kings actually have quality players at every position. Compare that chart to our depth chart at the start of last few seasons. Players with a PER above 15 who played significant minutes ( > 500) in bold:
C: DeMarcus Cousins / Chuck Hayes / Hassan Whiteside PF: Jason Thompson / J.J. Hickson SF: John Salmons / Travis Outlaw / Donté Greene SG: Marcus Thornton / Francisco Garcia / Tyler Honeycutt PG: Tyreke Evans / Isaiah Thomas / Jimmer Fredette
2010-11
C: Samuel Dalembert / Jason Thompson / Hassan Whiteside PF: DeMarcus Cousins / Carl Landry / Darnell Jackson SF: Francisco Garcia / Omri Casspi / Antoine Wright / Donté Greene SG: Tyreke Evans / Luther Head PG: Beno Udrih / Pooh Jeter
The only above average bench performer the Kings have really had in the last four seasons has been Isaiah Thomas, and he quickly won back his starting position when Greivis Vasquez was sent out in the trade that brought back Rudy Gay. In Ramon Sessions, the Kings now have a player who has made a career out of being a productive bench player. Carl Landry also has a history of being a solid bench player, having been in 6th man of the year conversations in both Houston and Golden State. Last year he only played 18 games for the Kings, all while rehabbing from a hip injury suffered in the preseason. That short comeback didn't last long either, as he then suffered a knee injury that cost him the rest of the season.
There are some unknowns of course. We don't know if Jason Thompson will bounce back from a bad year, or even if he's going to be on the team at the start of the year. Derrick Williams and Omri Casspi are not reliable, but our depth is helped there thanks to Rudy Gay's presence. We also don't know the type of player Nik Stauskas will be, but it's hoped that he could be a type of player that can make an impact early in his career.
Regardless, it seems that the Kings have made depth a priority this offseason and should see less of a drop off when they have to go to the bench. There's no substitute for star players, but it's nice to have some reliable complementary pieces for once.
When the Kings traded for Rudy Gay this past year, there was a hope that his performance in Toronto was an aberration and that he would bounce back in a new environment. He had been shooting a paltry 38.8% from the field over the first 18 games of the season despite taking almost 19 shots a game.
Rudy not only bounced back in Sacramento, but he actually ended up shooting better than ever. His 48.2% from the field and 51.6% on two-point field goals were the highest of the career, and he even flirted with a month or two of being above the 50% marker overall, a rarity for wing players.
Of course, this last year with Sacramento has so far been the exception and not the rule. What changed when he came to Sacramento?
For starters, he was not being asked to be the primary option. By far his worst years in the NBA came in Toronto where he was asked to be the face of the franchise and star. He was much better as a secondary or even third option in Memphis, although even there he was labeled as inefficient due to his penchant for shooting long range jumpers and inability to hit a three pointer with any consistency.
Gay still struggled to be a consistent three point shooter in Sacramento, hitting just 31.2% of his long-range attempts, but he was better about his shot selection. According to basketball-reference.com, just 17.8% of Rudy Gay's field goal attempts in Sacramento came from 16 feet to the 3 point line, aka the least efficient shot in basketball (it requires the most effort with the least reward). That is down from his career rate of 21.5% from that area. He also increased his attempts from 3-10 feet to 23.8%, well above his career rate of 16.8%. Combined with the 24.9% of his attempts that came at the rim, almost half of Rudy's shots came within 10 feet of the basket, a good thing considering his high rate of conversion in those areas. Gay's decision to attack the rim more also meant more trips to the line. He had a career-high Free Throw Attempts per 36 minutes of 5.7 last year in Sacramento.
Rudy also benefited from the fact that he held court with two other excellent offensive players that the defense had to key on in DeMarcus Cousins and Isaiah Thomas. Now Thomas is gone, leaving Gay as the clear cut secondary option to DeMarcus Cousins. Thomas's offense will have to be replaced from somewhere. Will it be Gay taking more shots, or will other players (Collison, Sessions, McLemore, Stauskas) pick up the slack? One of my many fears regarding the decision to not retain Thomas is that those shots will instead come from inferior options.
We also have some cause to think that Rudy Gay's shooting efficiency isn't sustainable given the drop-off that occurred from month to month while he was in Sacramento. Here are his shooting splits:
There's one clear outlier in that group and that's his supremely efficient January. That month was extremely out of the ordinary and not likely to be repeated soon. If you take that month out, his shooting looks far more like his career averages.
I don't think we'll be seeing another career year in terms of efficiency from Rudy, but as long as he can continue to be productive and not inefficient, he's still an incredibly valuable player to this team, both now and in the future.
Sometimes the wisest decisions are made by those much younger than us.
In a rare moment of clarity I was able to step back and appreciate what lay ahead.
It was in January of 1994 and the Cowboys were about to square off against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. A few minutes before kick-off I began to think about how no matter what, win or lose, I was lucky to be in that spot as a fan. Of course it didn't hurt that Dallas went on to win the game en route to their 2nd consecutive Super Bowl title, but over the years I've often thought about that moment and that feeling. That sense of calm and gratitude is fleeting to say the least.
I was reminded of that cold winter day earlier this year when I took my daughter to a Spurs game just before their annual Rodeo Road Trip. It was a much closer game than it should have been, with the Spurs winning the game in the final seconds. I wrote about the experience and the unintentional lesson my then 12 year-old daughter taught me at Pounding the Rock.
Gregg Popovich started a guy named Shannon Brown (a free one for you trivia question buffs), and the game was tight throughout. Tiago Splitter made his return after missing 12 games with a strained right shoulder but the Spurs continued to be without the services of Manu Ginobili, Danny Green and Kawhi Leonard. The Kings took a seemingly commanding lead about midway through the 3rd and it appeared as if the Spurs would fight valiantly but come up short, again.
But with 8:33 left in the game, Patty Mills hit a three pointer to close the gap to two. The Kings called a time-out with the score 80-78 and the crowd was rocking. Then as if on cue the Coyote brought out his t-shirt cannon and thousands demanded that the roof immediately be raised. After the timeout Tiago Splitter made a reverse lay-up and Matt Bonner played the last few minutes like a man without a mask to hide behind and the Spurs held on for a two-point win and ended a three game losing streak.
It wasn't pretty, but damn, was it fun.
I took my daughter to the game and she cheered wildly during the entire sequence described above. I bought her a ticket close by in the section immediately above press row but it wasn't crowded that night so she sat in an empty seat next to me. She asked if it was ok to cheer or if she had to remain impartial. I told her to cheer her face off for the Spurs, and she did.
On the drive home my daughter fell asleep, content that she'd helped cheer her team on to victory and I was listening to REACT with Geoff Sheen on WOAI.
About halfway through, a caller caught my attention. He suggested that "it's time to end the experiment and trade Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili while they still have some value." He said he was extremely worried about the next decade so it's time to blow the whole thing up and start over.
And in that moment I realized his thinking wasn't even on the extreme fringe for some Spurs' fans. The Spurs had won only two of their previous six games and were losing ground in the chase for home court advantage to the Oklahoma City Thunder. While Gregg Popovich and the Spurs continually downplayed its importance, most knew that the Spurs needed home court advantage, particularly in a potential matchup against the younger, more athletic Thunder. So as the team treaded water and dealt with injuries to virtually everyone on the team, it was understandable for some fans to panic. And this was all against the backdrop of the looming Rodeo Road Trip...
...Historically, the Spurs have performed well on the road trip, using it as a time to coalesce as a unit and learn how to grind out road wins. But every year is different, and the bad luck that had befallen the Spurs this year seemed an ominous sign as the team prepared to travel the country for three weeks.
Of course, there was also the matter of Spurs fans having been spoiled.
Over the last 16 years the Spurs have been one of the most successful franchises in all of professional sports. And that, as we all know, is a vicious double-edged sword. It means we aren't supposed to have fun at a game and enjoy a last second win against the Kings, because we can't. There are just too many things to be worried about.
We have to be thinking about the next decade or how Timmy's knees are holding up or when Pop is going to retire or why can't Jeff Ayres catch a ball or, if given the chance, would Aron Baynes eat some of the smaller guys?
And if he eats all the guards, how would the guard play be?
Look, I don't profess to be the wisest or most tenured Spurs observer, but I know greatness when I see it. And if given the choice between having to take a clinical approach and dissect every deficiency and mitigate every shortfall or just cheering my face off for my favorite team, I'll join my daughter every time and silently cheer from press row.
I realized it's not going to last forever. Nothing does. So I promised myself to do my best to enjoy it all while it was right in front of my face.
But that promise is so, so difficult to keep. I break it several times every week, particularly during Tech games and when my fantasy teams struggle. I woke up this morning pissed-off at the Carolina defense and Steve Hauschka for costing me (and Gilbert) a win last night because I really want to win that stupid plastic trophy this year.
I worry about how Kingsbury will call the game and whether or not Mike Smith can teach his guys the fundamentals of "tackling the man with the football," quickly enough to make a difference in Stillwater, and can guarantee that my blood pressure will be off the charts for three hours Thursday night. I'll get upset at kids half my age and my mood at the office on Friday will be completely predetermined by the events from the night prior.
It's funny how we get to this point. We're so invested in the competitive nature of sports that that the only time we're happy is when there is actually no game being played. Our only times of happiness are in looking forward to a season rather than living in the moment during it.
Add to that the ridiculous and obscene personalities that populate the world in which we're so invested and it makes maintaining that fanatic cult-like worship even more inane. Jameis Winston, Adrian Peterson, Ray Rice, et al won't be the end of sports but their actions (and similar actions by countless others) chip away at what once seemed impenetrable armor. Sometimes it's just not fun to be a fan anymore.
Perhaps a suitable inoculant against those depressing thoughts is to draw on my younger, thinner, twenty year-old self or model my actions after my daughter and her innocent, unbridled joy in a simple win. Of course, doing so is impossible because sports is hard.
But just for a minute I'm going to pretend that everything in the world is pristine. Thursday night will be glorious and my fantasy team will never lose another game. The Spurs will repeat as NBA champs and Kingsbury will be the National Coach of the Year multiple times. Just for a minute I'm going to remember that for every Jameis Winston there is a John White. For every Ray Rice there is a Jim Kelly.
Because for all of the things that can (and do) go wrong, and all the obnoxious evil that we have to endure, it's still worth the ride. The hope in sports is worth the ride.
It's Decision Time for the Nets, with Lionel Hollins and Billy King having to decide on a number of issues, big and small, over the next month. There will be big things like the rotation and any minutes restrictions for Brook Lopez (a decision that will be made in conjunction with the medical and training staffs) and some smaller ones.
There will also be contract decisions. Some are easy. On October 31, the Nets must decide whether to extend the rookie contracts of Mason Plumlee, Sergey Karasev and Marquis Teague. Plumlee and Karasev are no-brainers, Teague's less so. Also, on Cutdown Day, October 25, the Nets must decide on who to keep -- and in the case of at least Jerome Jordan, that's a money decision as well; if he makes the team, he gets $150,000.
But at least the pre-season is upon us.
September 26 -- The traditional date that NBA training camps open is October 1, but teams participating in the NBA Global Games, like the Nets, start a few days earlier. September 26 is Media Day, this year in East Rutherford. This should be the last Nets camp to be held at what used to be called the PNY Center and before that the Champion Center in East Rutherford. It's expected the Nets new facility in Industry City will be ready for the camp in 2015.
October 7 -- Preseason Opening Night: Nets vs Maccabi Tel Aviv, Barclays Center. 7:30 PM. It will be Israeli theme night at Barclays. Nets players will have their names written out in Hebrew on their warm-ups. Friends of the Israel Defense Forces and Maccabi will host a pre-game VIP reception at Barclays Center honoring soliders wounded in the recent Gaza operation
October 8 - Nets board charter for Shanghai, China.
October 12 -- Preseason: Nets vs Kings at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai. 1:00 AM, NBA TV
October 15 -- Preseason: Nets vs Kings at the MasterCard Center in Beijing. 7:30 AM, NBA TV
October 19 -- Preseason: Nets vs. Boston Celtics, Barclays Center. 3:00 PM
October 20 -- Preseason: Nets vs. Philadephia 76ers, Barclays Center, 7:30 PM
October 22 - Preseason: Nets vs. Boston Celtics, TD Garden, Boston, 7:30 PM
October 25 - Cutdown day. Nets must decide on how to keep, which will effect partial guarantees for Jerome Jordan and Willie Reed. Jordan's partial guarantee if $100,000 if he makes the team. Reed's guarantee, if any, is not yet known.
October 31 - Nets have to decide on extending Mason Plumlee and Sergey Karasev's rookie contracts into a third year and Marquis Teague's into a fourth year.
Who are the newest Lakers and how the heck did they get here?
The Los Angeles Lakers have reached the point in the summer where they needed to solidify their training camp roster. Over the past few days, they have done exactly that, first with signingWayne Ellington (who, to be clear, is not just a training camp signing, but the timing of the move makes it easy to introduce him here as well), and then announceing of the additions of Roscoe Smith, Keith Appling, Jabari Brown, and Jeremy Tyler.
Here's a quick guide on who these players are and how they got here:
Wayne Ellington
Ranks ninth all-time in free throw percentage for the North Carolina Tar Heels.
In your latest reminder that even the most fringe NBA athletes could still run circles around the rest of us mere mortals, Ellington was a two-year letterman on the track team (high, triple and long jumps) in high school, according to his North Carolina Bio Page.
By the way, another interesting #ninjatank strategy by the front office, trying to get a Duke vs. North Carolina feud started in the locker room between Carlos Boozer, Ryan Kelly, Ed Davis and now Ellington.
Thank u to the Mavs. First class organization filled with first class people! Excited to be one of the newest members of #KnicksTape!
Won a national championship as a freshman with UCONN before transferring after their postseason ban.
According to his coach at UNLV, Dave Rice, "He thinks that every loose ball is his, and it just seems as if he gets a double-double every night. To have a guy like that is big."
After watching every Summer League game, our own prospect evaluator extraordinaire Ben Rosales had this to say:
"Meet the best wing for the Lakers in Vegas not named Murphy, not a stellar achievement given how awful nearly the entire rotation was, but Smith had quite a few good moments to his credit even in limited minutes. He's a smart cutter to the basket, lurking constantly on the baseline both to make himself available for a pass and to put himself in position to attack the offensive boards. His overall effort on rebounds was generally solid, something unsurprising from a guy who a rather incredible rebounder at UNLV for a player of his size. He also showed signs of life as far as his jumper, the part of his game he desperately needs to improve to have any long-term future in this league, was concerned, so hopefully that upwards development continues for him wherever he happens to end up next. He's still a limited player on the whole, but he does a sufficient amount of the ancillary things well to keep an eye on should that jumper develop."
Keith Appling
Appling seems to be an emotional guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. He cannot be accused of not being all in for his team, from crying after a loss to rival Michigan in his last game participating in said rivalry, to spending the entire postgame interview after Michigan State's Elite Eight loss to UConn in this year's NCAA tournament covering his face.
Speaking of his school, according to his bio page, he ranks third all-time for MSU in starts and fourth in games played.
Emotion can only get you so far, however, and he did not exactly stand out for Portland's Summer League team this year, only playing seventeen minutes over two contests with three total field goals, one free throw, one assist and one steal as his total contributions.
Jabari Brown
The much less heralded Jabari in this year's rookie class, he played for the Houston Rocket's Summer League team in Orlando.
Scored 19.9 points per game while shooting 41% on three pointers his junior year while leading the SEC in scoring for Mizzou.
He started in the backcourt for the Tigers alongside fellow rookie Jordan Clarkson.
Jeremy Tyler
If you have not heard Jeremy Tyler's story before, it is certainly an interesting one. From ESPN:
"After averaging 28.7 points per game as a junior at San Diego High, Tyler became the first U.S. player to leave high school early for a professional contract abroad. Tyler, a 6-foot-11, 260-pound center, signed a one-year, $140,000 deal with Maccabi Haifa of the Israeli Basketball Super League."
There is plenty more there, and I would recommend reading the whole thing if you are unfamiliar with the story and have some time.
After parting ways with Maccabi Haifa, Tyler went on to play in China, then in the NBA for Golden State, Atlanta, and New York.
His per-36 minutes numbers are decent, but possibly not all that meaningful due to his playing such limited minutes. He is also unlikely to break through the already log jammed Lakers frontcourt.
For the latter four guys, chances are better that they will not end the year on the Lakers then that they will but who do you think has the best shot? Debate away in the comments.
It's unclear as of yet why Abdur-Rahim and the Kings have parted ways. Shareef got a bit of a demotion last summer when he went from Assistant General Manager to Director of Player Personnel (Jerry Reynolds' former position) after Mike Bratz was brought in to be Pete D'Alessandro's Assistant. Shareef did take a big role with the Reno Bighorns as their General Manager, but that's not as exciting as working in the NBA. In his article on Abdur-Rahim, Jones speculates that Bighorns Assistant GM and Kings scouting coordinator Chris Gilbert could take over Abdur-Rahim's job with Reno.
Whatever the case, Shareef Abdur-Rahim will be missed in the Sacramento community, and I wish him the best wherever his career takes him.
The Western Conference is the Best-ern Conference, as they say. Last year, the 9th seeded Phoenix Suns finished with 48 wins, good for 3rd place in the Eastern Conference, but not good enough to even make the playoffs out West.
This summer saw a lot of change around the NBA, but the West still seems to be better than ever despite the transfer of one star (Kevin Love) to the East. Where do the Kings stack up?
Last year's Western playoff teams continue to look like contenders for this year. Few of those teams suffered any significant losses to personnel, and some, like Dallas, actually added depth. The bigger changes came from the fringe teams. New Orleans added Omer Asik while also hopefully getting back Ryan Anderson and Jrue Holiday, both of whom were injured for much of last year. Denver is likewise getting back Danilo Gallinari, who missed the entirety of the 2013-14 season due to back injury. Phoenix, last year's surprise team, is bringing back everybody and then some, having added Isaiah Thomas to what was already one of the better backcourts in the league. Yesterday's re-signing of Eric Bledsoe just solidifies it.
There were only two teams last year that were worse than the Kings in the West, the Lakers and the Jazz. Utah didn't particularly add anybody significant but they did retain Gordon Hayward and will see improvement from young guys like Trey Burke and Rudy Gobert. The Lakers will be getting Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash back, and also added Carlos Boozer, Ed Davis, Jeremy Lin and Julius Randle for some much needed depth. It's very possible that they could rebound a bit from an uncharismatic off-year.
The Kings are still on the bottom looking up, and it will take either significant progress from the existing personnel, injuries to other teams, or a big infusion of talent/production (like the Rudy Gay trade) for the Kings to start clawing their way up the Western Conference. The biggest thing the Kings have going for them is DeMarcus Cousins, and the fact that one great player can make such a huge difference in the NBA. Cousins made big strides to become such a player last year, and a lot is riding on him to become even better in years to come. It's not all on him of course, as teammates have to step up their games and the front office has to bring in better teammates if they don't. Otherwise the Kings are destined to remain in the Western Conference cellar, waiting for a ladder to finally get out.
The Nets are bringing 17 bodies to training camp in East Rutherford starting Saturday, but the league rules allow only15 starting October 25. That means we will see a bit of a competition in camp and the preseason schedule that will likely feature four young players competing for two spots, maybe even one..
Those four are the Nets last pick in the 2014 draft Cory Jefferson; last year's late season acquisition Jorge Gutierrez; and two recently signed big men Jerome Jordan and Willie Reed. All indications are that Marquis Teague won't be cut despite an underwhelming tryout last season because it will be an expensive proposition and Lionel Hollins apparently sees the former Kentucky point guard as a developmental piece at least for now.
So, who makes the roster? It seemed obvious that Jefferson was going to make the roster during the summer. Jefferson is a power forward who has developed a mid-range jumper and is not a typical rookie -- he's already 24. However, the signings of Jordan and Reed over the past two weeks, Reed officially Thursday morning, have put his spot in jeopardy.
Jordan gives the Nets another rim protector. At 7'1", the former Knicks big man can play spot minutes here and there and can keep the offense active with his versatile skill set and freakish size that includes a 7'6" wingspan, longest on the team.. On the other hand, Reed was heavily scouted by Brooklyn the last two seasons, playing for the team's D-League affiliate, and impressing in a significant role. Reed has great size at 6'10." He was called up from the D-League twice in the past two years, first by the Grizzlies and then the Kings.
It should be noted that Lionel Hollins knows both players. Jordan was among the last cuts in the Grizzlies training camp in October 2012 and Reed was called up by Memphis roster at the end of that season, Hollins last with the Grizz. Reed didn't get any minutes in the regular season or the 2013 playoffs.
Based on roster needs Jordan probably is in the lead position. The Nets can use another seven footer to come off the bench and give some energy minutes every once and a while. At 27, Jordan may not get another shot at making an NBA roster, so a sense of urgency can go a long way for him. He last played for the Knicks two years ago. If Jordan does make the roster, he will make $100,000 in guaranteed money, a league source told NetsDaily.
The other roster spot? It could come down to Jefferson and Reed. Unfortunately for Gutierrez, there is isn't much room in the backcourt. With Teague almost a lock to stay because of his contract and the addition of Jarrett Jack, the Nets don't see third string point guard as a priority. Last season, even with injuries, Teague, Gutierrez and the departed Tyshawn Taylor played a total of only 715 minutes. In other words, the third point guard was not critical.
Alan Anderson can play some minutes at the point -- he started Games 6 and 7 of the Toronto series -- and both Markel Brown and Sergey Karasev think they have point guard skills. Besides, Deron Williams appears to be healthy and capable of big minutes. The Nets can use some depth and young role players at the power forward position, so a spot that goes to Reed or Jefferson will be more worthwhile than keeping Gutierrez. That being said, the former California standout will receive $25,000 if he just makes it to the first day of training camp. He will.
Calling it between Reed and Jefferson is tough. Both are talented and only 24. Jefferson is an "older" rookie, but Reed is also 24, so the age and upside argument isn't really in play. Both are athletic bigs who are capable rebounders, but Jefferson may have more of a face-up game. Also, the Nets have already paid Jefferson his $75,000 in guaranteed money while Reed has NO guaranteed money coming his way, he is literally playing for a contract. Moreover, Reed would cost the Nets $915,000 in cap space, Jefferson $507,000.
Of course, if the Nets keep only 14 players, as they did at the cutdown deadline last season, the race gets tighter still.
14 of the 18 players listed are under contract for 2014-15 already and won't be cut. The other 4 players include Sim Bhullar, Deonte Burton, Trey Johnson, and David Wear. Only one of them can make the team, but under NBA rules the last three training camp cuts can be assigned to Sacramento's D-League team, the Reno Bighorns.
Notably absent from the list of training camp attendees are Scotty Hopson and Alonzo Gee, who were acquired in the recent trade that sent Jason Terry to Houston. Both Hopson and Gee were waived by the Kings in the last couple days, as their contracts were completely unguaranteed for the upcoming season.
Sacramento's first preseason game is just 10 days away, when the Kings go to Vancouver to face the Toronto Raptors.
