How Landry’s Sprained MCL Affects The Hornets
New Orleans forward Carl Landry announced via Twitter that he has suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. The injury is expected to keep him out for several weeks, and is likely to have a significant impact on moves the Hornets make in the coming weeks.
The Hornets will sign Lance Thomas to a 10-day contract on Monday as a short-term fix, it was reported earlier today.
More importantly, Landry's injury makes the prospect of New Orleans trading center Chris Kaman even more unlikely. After Kaman was shelved by the Hornets until they found a trading partner, it was reported that the Pacers and Rockets were pursuing the veteran center aggressively.
However, on Friday the Hornets appeared to take Kaman off the market. Landry's injury leaves New Orleans in need of frontcourt help, making it harder for them to have a change of heart and deal Kaman. The 29-year-old is in the final year of a contract that will pay him approximately $14MM for 2011/12. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 1/30/12 – 2/4/12
A quick look back at the original content our team produced during HoopsRumors' inaugural week:
- A list of the remaining unrestricted free agents currently on the market.
- An overview of the many types of salary cap exceptions in the new CBA.
- A primer on 10-day contracts, which begin on Monday.
- A look at which taxpaying teams have used their mid-level exceptions this season.
- An explanation of the so-called Derrick Rose rule, which allows players who outperform their rookie contracts to receive larger contract extensions than would be otherwise allowed.
- Cleveland guard Ramon Sessions is a prime candidate to be moved before the deadline. Here's a look at his options.
- Jesse Blanchard suggested a Landry Fields-for-Sessions swap as a possible solution for the Knicks' backcourt woes.
- A look at the trade market for New Jersey guard Anthony Morrow, another candidate to be traded.
Atlantic Links: Garnett, Williams, Jeffries
Here's a few links to what's been going on in the Atlantic Division over the weekend.
- Tim Bontemps of the New York Post points to the Nets' pick and roll defense as a main reason in why they lost to the Knicks last night. "It's something they have struggled with time and again all season long. When you break down their defense using advanced stats, the best part of their defense actually is defending the ball handler in the pick-and-roll (16th overall in the league at 0.8 points per possession). But it's the roll man that constantly kills them."
- After New York's win, Mike D'Antoni said that Jared Jeffries played his best game of the season, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPN NewYork. Jeffries finished the game with nine points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes of action.
- After defeating the Grizzlies 98-80 on Sunday afternoon, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes that Kevin Garnett's 24 point, nine rebound performance was especially crucial for the Celtics because of backup power forward Brandon Bass' injury.
- New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams has had an uncharacteristically inconsistent year so far. Jake Appleman of the New York Times gives an in-depth account of Williams' battle with Jeremy Lin.
Hawks Eyeing Free Agent Centers
The Atlanta Hawks plan on signing a center to a 10-day contract, and have had internal discussions about bringing in Kyrylo Fesenko, Erick Dampier, or Dan Gadzuric according to Michael Cunningham of the Altanta Journal-Constitution.
With Jason Collins out at least two weeks with a sprained left elbow, the Hawks have a desire to solidify what's quickly become a thin front line.
In December, Sam Amick of SI.com reported that the Golden State Warriors had come to an agreement with Fesenko on a one-year, $1.07MM contract, but the signing never materialized. The Ukranian is 24-year-old seven-footer who might be able to give the Hawks a much needed interior defensive presence. Playing for Utah during the 2010/11 season, Fesenko averaged 2.0 PPG and 2.0 RPG in just 8.6 MPG.
The 36-year-old Erick Dampier spent the 2010/11 season in Miami, but didn't register a single minute during their postseason run to the Finals.
Raptors Rumors: Chandler, Kirilenko, Barbosa
Toronto Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo spoke candidly about a potential roster shake-up during Friday's game against the Washington Wizards, writes Hasan Alanam of Canada.com. With the team currently hovering near the bottom of the Atlantic Division, Colangelo expressed a desire to consider any and every move that may help the Raptors move closer to their goal of becoming a championship-caliber squad. In his mind, the path toward success may become a bit clearer once the future for three particular players becomes more evident.
- Colangelo discussed what adding former Utah Jazz sharpshooter Andrei Kirilenko could do for the Raptors especially considering the success AK-47 has enjoyed this season while playing in Russia. Averaging 13 PPG and nearly 8 RPG, Kirilenko, 30, has led CSKA Moscow to an undefeated regular season thus far and looks to be an early favorite for MVP. As Kirilenko announced his intentions to stay in Russia for the entire season, the Raptors would be looking to sign the former first-round draft pick this summer.
- While the Raptors will have to wait a few months to begin courting Kirilenko, Colangelo can add an important piece to his roster once small forward Wilson Chandler is released from his contract with the CBA's Zhejiang Guangsha. The fifth-year player out of DePaul is a restricted free agent which will allow for the Denver Nuggets to match any contract that the Raptors might offer Chandler. Given Chandler's upward trending career numbers and youth (24), the Raptors' bid must be overly aggressive if they have any hope of Chandler heading across the border to Toronto.
- During his concluding remarks in an interview with the Raptors broadcast team, Colangelo mentioned how he viewed Leandro Barbosa as a valuable trade chip moving forward. Colangelo expressed Barbosa's importance to the team but pondered what nearly 13 PPG from a 29-year-old veteran guard could land the Raptors in a trade with a contending team. While Barbosa remains a valuable addition for any team, his most attractive asset may be his contract which expires at the end of the season.
Odds & Ends: Sixers, Cavaliers
With a 17-7 record more than a third through the season, the Philadelphia 76ers have been a pleasant surprise under coach Doug Collins. Even with a 20-point loss at home to the Miami Heat on Friday night, the 76ers are atop the Atlantic Division and would be a 3 seed in the Eastern Conference if the season ended today. The Cleveland Cavaliers have also exceeded expectations as the team is nearly halfway to matching its win total from last season. As the NBA trade deadline approaches, both of these teams face important decisions on how to shape their rosters moving forward.
- John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes that the 76ers have a strong core of players under the age of 23 but wonders if a move must be made to ensure the squad's first division title since 2001. Mitchell lauds Collins for outperforming every other coach in the league as he has gotten more out of the team's talent than anyone thought possible. Collins credits some of his team's success to the fans as the Wells Fargo Center has recently enjoyed a string of sellouts.
- Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant will be facing a series of tough decisions as the trade deadline approaches, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. One of the decisions includes figuring out how Anderson Varejao, 29, fits into the team's long-term plans. If traded, Varejao could net the Cavaliers as many as two future first-round draft picks which would allow the team to continue to stockpile young talent.
Poll: Will Love Face Suspension After Stomping?
Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love seemingly retaliated Saturday night against Houston Rockets big Luis Scola after an incident earlier in the week left Love writhing with pain. After getting rebound after rebound over Scola and finally netting a basket, Love appeared to have fouled Scola on the other end of court, causing the fifth-year player to drop to the floor. Love quickly turned to head back down the court and stepped on Scola’s chest and face with his size 19 left sneaker. Talking heads from around the NBA having varying opinions on what actually transpired at the Target Center.
- Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune hasn’t taken a stance on the stomping but allows for the possibility that the incident may have just been a poorly timed accident on Love’s end.
- Houston Rockets beat writer Jonathan Feigen describes the attack on Scola as a no-brainer one-game suspension for Love.
- SB Nation’s Bomani Jones (via Twitter) says that the time for retaliation against Scola was last game, not last night.
J.R. Smith Rumors: Sunday
Former Denver Nuggets shooting guard J.R. Smith looks to return to the NBA after a stint in China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. Smith, 25, has received attention from numerous NBA teams with the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks among his strongest suitors. As stated by Smith in a tweet on Friday, he would be excited to see what kind of pick-and-roll tandem he and Amare Stoudemire could form at the Garden.
- According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, beleaguered Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni isn't hiding the fact that the Knicks desperately need another shooter and view Smith as an ideal candidate to fill such a role for the 9-15 squad. The Knicks can offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception but will have to waive a player upon signing him.
- Picking an opportune time for a career-high 25 points and seven dimes, Jeremy Lin can rest assured that he would not be a roster casualty if Smith signs with New York.
- After recently signing free agent Kenyon Martin to a contract, the Clippers may turn to Smith in an effort to add depth off the bench as they attempt to make a run at a top seed in the Western Conference. The Clippers no longer have the payroll flexibility to offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception after giving it Martin and would have to sign the former Hornet for the veteran's minimum.
- For those wondering about the impact the eighth-year player out of New Jersey has made in China, Smith lit up the scoreboard with 60 points during a CBA game last week.
Clippers Links: Griffin, Billups, Martin, Smith, Butler
Everything is roses for the Los Angeles Clippers, who won tonight in impressive fashion against the Washington Wizards. Mark Heisler of the New York Times writes how this impressive team came together and why they go "beyond mere highlights to spectacular." In other Clippers news:
- Don't count Blake Griffin out of the slam dunk contest just yet, reports Dan Feldman of ESPN Los Angeles.
- Feldman also wrote a great piece on how the Clippers and Chauncey Billups convinced Kenyon Martin to come to Los Angeles.
- Martin is expected to join the Clippers on Monday, reports USA Today's Michael Falgoust.
- Caron Butler, another unheralded free agent signing by the Clippers, is starting to find his comfort zone in Los Angeles, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Martin isn't the only player returning from China that the Clippers are hoping to sign. Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports that the Clippers now have their eye on J.R. Smith.
Knicks Notes: Point Guard, Lin, D’Antoni
The New York Knicks, searching for answers all season long, appeared to have found one–at least for a night–in their win over the New Jersey Nets. Here is a bit more on the Knicks:
- Charles Barkley points out the Knicks need a point guard, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday, who gives a quick rundown on the point guards currently on the roster.
- Personally, I think Ramon Sessions is an intriguing option for the Knicks.
- Of course, they may have already had one one the roster writes Ian Begley of ESPN New York following Jeremy Lin's 25-point, nine-assist performance.
- It's Lin-sanity! reports Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, who thinks Lin could see time in the starting lineup until Baron Davis returns.
- Perhaps tonight's Lin-inspired performance is why Mike D'Antoni never thought to panic amid speculation about his job security (via ESPN New York's Ian Begley).