Raptors power forward James Johnson took to Twitter earlier this week to express displeasure with how he was being utilized, not a wise move for a player whose NBA career may depend on how he adjusts to a limited role with the team, Doug Smith of The Toronto Star writes. Johnson, who is earning $2.5MM this season, is set to become an unrestricted free agent after the season, and appearing to be disruptive, especially after a team win, won’t help his value on the open market, Smith opines. The 28-year-old is averaging 3.3 points and 2.3 rebounds in 13.5 minutes per contest.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Sixers have been attempting to rebuild through the draft by bottoming out as a franchise, but the risk the team runs is that the process may become toxic prior to paying dividends, Nate Scott of USA Today writes. The franchise runs the risk of conditioning its players to lose, as well as potentially souring any free agent targets on coming to Philadelphia, Scott notes.
- Derrick Williams has apparently fallen out of Knicks coach Derek Fisher‘s rotation, which doesn’t please the veteran, but he is trying to make the best of the situation, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News. “We got to sacrifice a little bit. We went on a little win streak. So you don’t want to complain when you’re winning. It just makes you look like a bad individual,” Williams said. “I’ve always been a team guy. I’m happy when we’re winning. [Wednesday], when I know I can play and I think I can help, it does get frustrating. But we have more games. So hopefully Friday [at home against Miami], things turn around a little bit.”
- With Philadelphia on the verge of setting the NBA record for futility to begin a campaign, swingman Evan Turner feels bad for his former franchise, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I know Brett [Brown] is a great coach, and those players over there grind hard,” said Turner. “It’s not like they are sitting around doing nothing. Those kids grind, man. I know for sure they stay over the summer and work out together. So you feel bad in that sense, [because] it is a team working to be successful. It’s not like they are a bunch of high-paid players that have a crazy attitude about it.“
- The Raptors have recalled Delon Wright from their D-League affiliate, the team announced.
Once the Sixers showing promise (Or should I say if), free agents will have no problem coming to Philadelphia. We’re not talking about the LeBron/Durant type of free agents though, but a tier or two below them lies the free agents that the franchise can expect to attract in a few years.