NBA Training Camp 2014-15: Early Winners and Losers
Though the 2014-15 NBA preseason is little more than one week old, some players and teams are already drawing rave reviews.
Kobe Bryant looked like his old self during the Los Angeles Lakers' preseason opener against the Denver Nuggets on Monday evening, while Boston Celtics swingman Evan Turner showed flashes of his old Ohio State form in a 20-point blowout victory over the Philadelphia 76ers the same night.
The league even scored a major win, announcing a new nine-year, $24 billion media-rights agreement with Disney and Turner Entertainment. Though such a deal could wreak havoc on the salary cap in the coming seasons—Grantland's Zach Lowe expects the cap to jump into the $80 million-range by 2016-17—teams with limited cap space just received a new lease on life.
Not everyone can be so lucky, though. While preseason is the time for #MUSCLEWATCH and reports about how players will finally put everything together and reach their full potential this coming year, we've already seen some individuals and squads suffer a blow to their stock.
Based on reports from across the league, here's a look at a handful of early risers and fallers from the 2014-15 preseason.
Winner: Steven Adams
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Steven Adams was the runaway winner of media days this year, as the Oklahoma City Thunder sophomore debuted an epic mustache upon arriving at the podium. Better yet: He grew it specifically for media day.
As ESPN.com's Royce Young tweeted, "Adams says the mustache is just for the media guide picture: 'So that when someone opens up the book, stache.' "
Rocking the NBA's best mustache doesn't make Adams an early training camp winner on its own, though. He also stands to benefit from starting center Kendrick Perkins having a strained quad muscle that will sideline him for part of camp, per Young.
Thunder head coach Scott Brooks remained steadfastly committed to keeping Perk in the starting lineup last season, despite Adams clearly outplaying him toward the end of the year. This time around, Brooks sounds open to the idea of shuffling things up, telling reporters on media day, "The 30 days will determine [the] best group."
With Perkins parked on the bench due to his quad strain, Adams has an opportunity over the next few weeks to seize the starting center job and never look back. Though it's possible Perkins reclaims his spot in the starting lineup upon returning from his injury, Adams can make that decision far more difficult for Brooks by shining alongside Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Co.
Loser: Boston's Backcourt
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The Boston Celtics backcourt hasn't gotten off to the best start this preseason.
Point guard Rajon Rondo, who's entering the final year of his contract, suffered a left metacarpal fracture the week before training camp kicked off. The injury was "a result of a fall at his home," per a team release, and is expected to sideline him between six and eight weeks.
Rondo's presumptive heir apparent, Oklahoma State rookie Marcus Smart, struggled in his preseason debut against the Michael Carter-Williams-less Philadelphia 76ers on Monday evening. The No. 6 overall pick went 0-of-8 from the field in 27 minutes, although he did chip in six assists, three rebounds and three steals.
Avery Bradley, who inked a new four-year, $32 million deal with Boston over the summer, finished with just eight points on 3-of-10 shooting in 19 minutes against the Sixers. Smart's backcourt partner in crime recorded no rebounds, assists, steals or blocks but did turn the ball over twice before checking out for good.
Shockingly, the brightest spot for Boston on Monday night was former Sixer Evan Turner, who notched 15 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in 31 minutes against his former team. After the game, the former No. 2 overall pick revealed the secret to his success, according to Mark D'Amico of Celtics.com: "[Coach Brad Stevens] was like, 'Just hit singles and your talent's going to take over. Just take it one step at a time and [don't do anything] too complicated. Eventually your talent is going to take over.' And that's what I did."
The Boston Globe's Baxter Holmes believes Rondo's injury "almost assures the team will stumble out of the gate." If Smart and Bradley continue to struggle like they did against Philadelphia—which is the weakest opponent they'll face this season—Celtics fans will be counting down the days until Rondo's return.
Winner: Los Angeles Lakers Fans
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Based on the glowing reviews about Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash coming out of training camp, Los Angeles Lakers fans have every right to be excited about the 2014-15 season.
The Lakers notched a 98-95 win over the Denver Nuggets in their preseason opener Monday night, with Kobe chipping in 13 points on 5-of-12 shooting in 21 minutes. Coach Nick of BBallBreakdown tweeted it was "time for Irrational Exuberance time in Laker Land," telling one follower that "Kobe looks like his old self."
"I felt like I could do anything I wanted," Bryant told reporters after the game.
Kobe wasn't the only bright spot from Monday night. Nash—who feels "the best he's felt in a long time," according to Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak during the team's media day—racked up 11 points and five dimes in just 20 minutes, showing no ill effects of the ankle tweak he suffered in practice Saturday.
Injuries have temporarily depleted the team's depth; Nick Young will be out for six to eight weeks after tearing a ligament in his right thumb, while back spasms and a strained left hamstring are sidelining Xavier Henry and Ryan Kelly, respectively. As long as Bryant and Nash remain healthy, however, Lakers fans can keep singing "Timber" (the playoffs remix) to themselves.
Loser: Raymond Felton
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The training camp battle for the Dallas Mavericks' starting point guard job appears to be over before it started.
Following the team's intrasquad scrimmage on Saturday, head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters that the spot is Jameer Nelson's to lose:
"When we were recruiting him this summer, I told him we were looking for the best guy to be a starter for us. I really like [Devin] Harris off the bench. That said, I think Harris is one of our three or four best players. But we've had a history here of bringing some of our better guys off the bench. …
I like Jameer in that spot and [Raymond] Felton, he's going to be out the first four games. So if there were some tea leaves here, that’s what it may look like. But it's early to commit to anything. We got to see how it goes in games.
"
Felton has seemingly taken the news in stride, telling reporters, "We're looking to come out here and try to win some games. Whatever my role is, I'm going to accept it, and I'm looking forward to it." Given that he came off the bench only four times in the past three seasons, however, he could very well sour quickly on being a reserve.
Felton is already coming off a career-worst year, having averaged just 9.7 points per game on 39.5 percent shooting with the New York Knicks. Now, it appears as though he's already behind both Nelson and Harris in the eyes of his new head coach.
Winner: The Utah Jazz
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The Utah Jazz might not make the 2015 playoffs, but what they did Monday night solidified them as preseason winners no matter what their record winds up being.
Utah signed JP Gibson, a five-year-old who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in 2012, to a ceremonial one-day contract Monday. They drew up a contract for him, which read in part, "The Jazz appreciate his love of basketball, thank him for being a great fan and applaud his continued strength and courage," and gave him his own personalized jersey too.
They weren't done there, though. During the second half of the team's intrasquad scrimmage on Monday, JP subbed in for Toure' Murry. After receiving an inbounds pass from Jeremy Evans, the little man dribbled his way down the court, blew past Dante Exum and slammed home a two-handed flush (with some assistance from 7'1" center Rudy Gobert).
JP's mother, Megan Gibson, spoke about her boy's love of basketball in a statement from the team:
"JP loves most sports, but basketball is definitely his favorite. When he was just over a year old, he would sit with my husband Josh watching games. He started insisting on shooting hoops for an hour each night before bedtime when he was just 15 months old. He knows he has to be six before he can play Junior Jazz, and he reminds us all the time that he can't wait until he's six.
"
With professional sports leagues largely drowning in awful headlines as of late, the Jazz deserve serious props for making one little boy's dream come true.
Loser: Brook Lopez
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As Brooklyn Nets center Brook Lopez looks to bounce back from last year's season-ending foot injury, he's already facing questions about his on-the-court mentality.
When a media member asked new head coach Lionel Hollins on Sunday how he'd like to see Lopez improve, he launched into a tirade about the big man's toughness:
"Just being more aggressive, being tougher, rebounding better. Just being a force in the paint. When you’re 7-feet and 260 pounds, I’d like for him to be a force. I want all our big guys to be like that—be tougher, be more aggressive, be an inside player. If you’re an inside player, a big guy, control the paint and play outside last. Don’t play outside and never get in the paint.
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Point guard Deron Williams followed up on his coach's comments by telling reporters, "Brook has to learn how to use his size and strength to his advantage. … I think [Hollins] wants Brook to establish himself as a low-post presence, and I think we as a team need that. That's something we kind of missed last year."
Hollins isn't the first coach to critique Lopez's style of play. Former Nets coach Avery Johnson routinely ripped the big man, telling reporters back in 2011, "I dream about our center getting 10 rebounds."
Lopez—who hasn't averaged more than seven boards per game since the 2009-10 season—must be feeling deja vu after hearing Hollins' comments from Sunday. Though this may end up being nothing to fret over—Hollins could be using the media as a motivational tactic to get into Lopez's head—it's not an ideal start to the big man's return.
Winner: The Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets
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Within the past few weeks, the Phoenix Suns and Denver Nuggets have wisely locked up long-term contributors to what will soon become below-market deals.
Phoenix kicked things off by relenting in its ongoing contract negotiations with restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe. After refusing to budge from a four-year, $48 million offer all summer, per ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard, the Suns came to terms with the combo guard on a five-year, $70 million deal on Sept. 24.
Less than a week later, Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic broke the news that Phoenix had agreed on long-term extensions with both Morris twins, Markieff and Marcus. The former received a four-year, $32 million deal, while Marcus agreed to a four-year, $20 million extension.
Denver hopped into the fray this week, finalizing a four-year, $50 million-plus extension with Kenneth Faried on Tuesday, per Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. The springy forward averaged 18.8 points and 10.1 rebounds in just 31.2 minutes per game after the All-Star break this past season, making his $12.5-million-per-year price tag well worth it for Denver.
Given how rapidly the salary cap is projected to rise over the next few seasons—we'll come back to that theme later—these deals will only look better over time. Coro praised the Suns for inking Bledsoe and the Morris twins, writing, "It showed foresight for a salary cap that will skyrocket and dramatically change every player's value." The same holds true for Denver and Faried, too, as CBSSports.com's Matt Moore notes.
Loser: Ricky Rubio's Extension Talks
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While Eric Bledsoe, Kenneth Faried and the Morris twins were able to reach an agreement on long-term extensions with their respective squads, Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Ricky Rubio has not been so lucky to date.
According to Sean Deveney of Sporting News, the Wolves' "best offer thus far has been four years in the range of $48 million." Rubio is reportedly in pursuit of a five-year deal, per Deveney, "and though he'd like that deal to be a max, there is no doubt Minnesota won't go that high."
On one hand, it's difficult to blame Minnesota for being reluctant to hand Rubio a larger contract than those of Jrue Holiday, Kyle Lowry and Ty Lawson. The fourth-year floor general has yet to average more than 10.7 points per game in a single season and is a horrifically poor shooter (36.8 percent for his career).
Then again, the reason the Timberwolves didn't offer Kevin Love a five-year extension back in January 2012 was to keep it available for Rubio, according to Yahoo Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski. That's not necessarily a reason to offer Rubio a five-year max deal now—in fact, it would be downright foolish of the Timberwolves to do so, given the presence of Andrew Wiggins on their roster—but it could influence negotiations in the weeks ahead.
Given the impending explosion of the salary cap, Rubio might be best suited playing out the final season of his contract and entering restricted free agency next summer. Though he'll have a handful of other talented point guards with which to compete—Rajon Rondo, Goran Dragic and Patrick Beverley come to mind—it only takes one team to fall in love and offer him a contract more in line with his perceived value.
Winner: The Cleveland Cavaliers
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The Cleveland Cavaliers assembled a veritable championship contender from thin air over the summer, with LeBron James and Kevin Love joining Kyrie Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Anderson Varejao to create a dynamo in the East.
Based on what the past few years have taught us about superteams, though—see: the 2010-11 Miami Heat and 2012-13 Los Angeles Lakers—there was reason to doubt whether the new-look Cavs could hit the ground running.
The early returns suggest those fears were vastly overblown. According to CBSSports.com's Ken Berger, LeBron has already mastered "the intricacies of [head coach David] Blatt's offensive system from the perspective of each position, one through five."
After blasting Maccabi Tel Aviv in their first preseason game, 107-80, James told reporters that the Cavs were "only in our infant stage right now." He did suggest, however, that with Love, Varejao and Thompson in tow, the team "shouldn't lose a rebounding game [all season]." (They out-rebounded Maccabi to the tune of 64-36.)
Though the Cavs are preaching patience, Grantland's Zach Lowe has seen enough: He's ready to declare them "absolutely title contenders, right this very second, and they may enter the season as favorites." Though it will take time for the players to determine their pecking order—who will fall into the "Chris Bosh" No. 3 option role, Love or Irving?—Cleveland fans have every reason to expect a deep run into the playoffs in 2015.
Loser: Sam Hinkie
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Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie hasn't been shy about his intentions to rebuild his squad from the ground up. He shipped out virtually all of the Sixers' veteran players, eschewing any chance of fielding a competitive team to instead discover and harness young talent.
Those plans have rankled most fellow owners and front-office executives, according to Grantland's Zach Lowe. Thus, the league could vote later this month on a reformed draft lottery system that will take effect as early as this coming May, Lowe reported Friday.
Under the proposed system, the lottery would go from determining the top three picks to the top six picks, per Lowe. As Pro Basketball Talk's Dan Feldman illustrated, the changes would smooth out the odds throughout the lottery—the teams with the worst records would have less of a chance to win the No. 1 overall pick, while the non-playoff squads with the best records would have greater odds.
The Sixers are miffed about the prospect of implementing these changes so quickly, ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst reported earlier this summer. Team owner Josh Harris conceded to reporters on Friday that "a change that flattens the lottery system would be a little bit worse for Philadelphia in the short run."
Bleacher Report's Josh Martin is all for the changes, while I'm a little more lukewarm on the rapid adoption. One thing is clear: NBA chiefs aren't taking kindly to Hinkie's blatant roster teardown, and they could soon be doing everything in their power to dissuade him from continuing with his long-term plan.
Winner: Adam Silver
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If you're the NBA commissioner, what's one way to keep team owners on your side? Park a Brink's truck in each of their driveways.
Commissioner Adam Silver struck gold on Monday by announcing a new nine-year, $24 billion media-rights deal with Disney and Turner Broadcasting (which owns Bleacher Report). As Grantland's Zach Lowe noted, the new deal—which will pay the NBA nearly $2.7 billion per year, on average—is almost a threefold increase over the current deal, which pays the league roughly $930 million per season.
Basketball-related income could jump from an estimated $4.5 billion this past season to $6.7 billion in 2016-17, league sources told CBSSports.com's Ken Berger. That will lead to a stratospheric rise in the salary cap over the coming years—team executives told Berger "the windfall could result in a $91.2 million salary cap in 2016-17"—which means both owners and players stand to majorly benefit from this new arrangement.
Though the media-rights deal could have some negative consequences—we'll touch upon those in the next slide—Silver stands out as possibly the biggest winner of all in this deal. The commissioner took advantage of a competitive marketplace, as Disney and Turner's exclusive bargaining window only lasted through the middle of next year, and reaped the financial rewards accordingly.
Loser: NBA Fans in 2017
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Though the league's new television deal is rightfully cause for celebration this week, it will take center stage three offseasons from now as one of the main culprits for a potential lockout. Brooklyn Nets point guard Deron Williams told reporters Monday, "I hope guys are preparing [for a work stoppage]," while both LeBron James and Kevin Durant have echoed the point in recent days that owners can't claim hardship like they did during the lockout three years ago.
Unlike in 2011, the players could be the ones who opt out of the collective bargaining agreement this time around, as they seek to regain some of the ground they lost during the last standoff. "The minute I was told I was selected to be the executive director (in July), I started preparing for the opt-out," new National Basketball Players Association executive director Michele Roberts told Bleacher Report's Howard Beck.
Sheridan Hoops' Danny Schayes believes players will "look for an increase in their piece of the pie for the first time in about five CBAs." Meanwhile, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban suggested to reporters Tuesday that if the players seek to eliminate max deals, owners could respond by pursuing non-guaranteed contracts.
When there's already lockout talk nearly three years away from the CBA opt-out date, it doesn't bode well for the chances of labor peace.
