Miller On Nash, Carlisle, Cuban
Dallas radio host Craig Miller posted a mailbag covering several Mavericks topics. Here are the highlights:
- Miller likes the idea of the Mavs signing Steve Nash if they miss out on Deron Williams, but wonders whether his age will be a deterrent.
- Rick Carlisle's contract status is currently up in the air, but Miller expects the two sides will get something done to keep the coach in Dallas long-term.
- Miller wonders whether Mark Cuban is gearing up to sell the Mavericks after finally achieving his decade-long goal of winning an NBA championship in 2011.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Porter, Tanking
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Saturday night:
- Newsday's Al Iannazzone takes a look at the success the Knicks have had this season signing minimum-salary players, including Jeremy Lin and Steve Novak.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic talks to Terry Porter, who is hoping for another shot as an NBA head coach after a disappointing stint with the Suns.
- SI.com's Zach Lowe has an interesting post on how the NBA can eliminate tanking for draft position.
Spurs Notes: Joseph, Dawson
Tim Griffin and Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News have a couple of minor news updates about Spurs rookies.
- Griffin reports that Cory Joseph, the 29th overall pick in the 2011 draft, has been assigned to the D-League's Austin Toros for the second time this season. Joseph is averaging 1.8PPG and 1.2APG with the Spurs this season.
- Monroe notes that Eric Dawson, recently cut by the Spurs, lost his roster spot for financial reasons, not because of his play.
Amick On Dwight, Celtics, Crawford
SI.com's Sam Amick has a roundup of the latest crop of NBA trade rumors, touching on a variety of topics. Here are the highlights:
- There is a distinct possibility that the Magic will opt not to trade Dwight Howard, either because they don't like the offers out there or because they believe they can convince the superstar center to stay.
- Nets GM Billy King believes it will be easier to land Howard through trade than via free agency, because of the difference in money the team will be able to offer.
- The Warriors are still said to be interested in trading for Howard, even as a rental, and convincing him to stick around.
- Ray Allen is more likely to be moved by March 15 than Rajon Rondo, but a deal with the Clippers is unlikely. The Celtics are asking for young talent and picks, which is more than most teams are likely to want to give up for the 36-year-old Allen.
- Amick suggests Jamal Crawford as a trade possibility for the Clippers or any other team looking for help at the shooting guard position. He believes Crawford may be available because of the Blazers' struggles and his dissatisfaction with Nate McMillan playing him at point guard.
- The Lakers continue to monitor Michael Beasley and Ramon Sessions, and the future of Pau Gasol is still uncertain.
- It is possible that Wilson Chandler will spend the rest of the season overseas rather than re-sign with the Nuggets, and instead test free agency this summer.
- The market is still slow for Gilbert Arenas, who is working out in Orlando in hopes that a team will sign him.
Odom To Return To Mavs?
SATURDAY, 7:11pm: Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com reports that Odom did not address his teammates before the game and does not plan to take questions from the media until afterwards.
9:26am: Odom's D-League stint has been cancelled and the forward will instead join the Mavs for tonight's game against Utah, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
THURSDAY, 4:52pm: Odom won't be with the Mavs for tomorrow's game in New Orleans, but he'll likely play for the team's D-League affiliate on Saturday to "get his legs back," tweets Stein. It would be the equivalent of a one-game minor-league rehab stint for Odom.
1:17pm: Cuban met with Odom and agent Jeff Schwartz on Wednesday, and the Mavs expect to have the forward back on their active roster in a matter of days, reports ESPN.com's Marc Stein.
8:35am: There's a "growing feeling" within the Mavericks' locker room that Lamar Odom won't be returning to the team, a source tells Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas. Odom left the Mavs last Wednesday to tend to his ill father.
There's been increased chatter within the last week about Odom's future, including rumors about a possible buyout or trade. However, owner Mark Cuban has continued to insist the Mavs aren't interested in buying Odom out of his deal, and still believe he can help the team this season. The 32-year-old has been mired in a season-long slump since being dealt to Dallas by the Lakers in December.
Mavs players who have been patient and supportive of Odom so far this season may be starting to show some cracks, says Caplan. Jason Kidd said earlier this week that the situation will "work itself out one way or another," while Jason Terry said yesterday that it's up to the front office to come up with a resolution.
Coach Rick Carlisle expects to have an update on Odom's status at some point today.
Lawrence: Knicks Not Planning Major Moves
In a new column about the chemistry the Jeremy Lin-era Knicks have developed, Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News says that the team's owner, James Dolan, wants to see how the current group grows and is not planning any major shake-ups at the trading deadline.
Lawrence, citing an Eastern Conference GM who had a recent conversation with the Knicks, believes that Dolan likes the chemistry between Lin and Carmelo Anthony and doesn't think another move is necessary. He also points out that, between the huge contracts of Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chander, the Knicks wouldn't have many assets to trade if they were inclined to make changes. However, Lawrence doesn't rule out the long-shot possibility of Dolan making a run at Deron Williams or Dwight Howard if the opportunity were to present itself.
Trade Candidate: Jose Calderon
Every year around this time, it seems, there are suggestions that the Raptors could do better at point guard than Jose Calderon. And yet he still remains in Toronto, now in his seventh season as a Raptor. He's barely a double-figure scorer, averaging 10.9 PPG this season after putting up only 9.8 PPG a year ago, but his 8.8 APG this season has him third in the league in that category. That number isn't a fluke, either, as two of the previous three seasons he averaged 8.9 APG.
Perhaps the reason he pops up in trade rumors so consistently is that other teams covet his playmaking ability. Yesterday we passed along Marc Stein's report in which he said the Lakers have inquired about Calderon, but the Raptors are unwilling to take on salary in such a deal. Calderon makes $9.78MM this season, so he wouldn't fit into the $8.9MM trade exception the Lakers have, and other parts would have to be added to the deal.
The reason the Raptors may be so reluctant to add salary this year might be because they're bumping up against the luxury tax threshold. Strange as it may be for a team with an 11-25 record, the Raps' $69.72MM cap hit this year, according to Storytellers Contracts, is not far below the $70.307MM tax line. That may also be reason why Toronto would be reluctant to offer Calderon to the Suns in a deal that would bring home native Canadian Steve Nash, who makes more than Calderon does.
Hasan Alanam of Canada.com explored five possible destinations for Calderon last month, pegging the Lakers, Hawks, Blazers, Jazz and Magic as potential suitors. There's even a rumor suggesting he'll end up in Orlando as part of a Dwight Howard deal. While the possibilities abound, don't expect this year's trade deadline to be any different for Calderon. I'm inclined to believe he'll be sticking around, but next season, when he 's due $10.56MM in the final year of his contract, may be when the Raps finally make their move.
Odds & Ends: Stern, Hawks, Clippers
Leave it to LeBron James to wind up in the spotlight again amidst Linsanity and the impending trade deadline. He passed up a potential game-winning shot against Utah to give the ball to Udonis Haslem instead, and Haslem missed to give the Jazz a 99-98 win. Still, as Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida points out, it was the first time James has ever gone back-to-back games without committing a turnover. James will surely be with the Heat for a while, but here are a few notes on more fluid situations:
- Changes are afoot for slumping Cleveland, where Cavs coach Byron Scott is giving thought to juggling his rotation and starting lineup after his team lost its fourth straight tonight, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. With the trade deadline approaching, the team must soon decide what to do with Ramon Sessions and Antawn Jamison, Amico says.
- Bucks backup point guard Beno Udrih would be on board with a trade if one happens, notes Lang Greene of HoopsWorld.
- ESPN's John Hollinger, writing from the Sloan Sports Analytics Conferences, says the numbers don't add up in the Kings arena deal. He believes the league provided financial support to the cash-strapped Maloof brothers so they could make their $73MM contribution to the deal. (Insider link)
- John Schuhmann of NBA.com rounded up Celtics coach Doc Rivers' irritated pregame remarks about the trade rumors swirling around his team. In particular, he took aim at the belief the Celtics are shopping Rajon Rondo and the "ridiculous" idea that Pau Gasol may be headed to Boston. For Rondo, whose name has come up in trade talks many times before, it feels like "deja vu," notes Andrew Perna of RealGM.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com looks at Celtics free agent signee Mickael Pietrus, who's finally displaying his all-around game now that he's healthy, Blakely says.
- Marc Gasol, used to fielding rumors involving his brother Pau, is surprised that Raptors point guard Jose Calderon, another Spanish Olympic teammate, is coming up in trade talk as well, reports Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun.
- Frank Isola of the New York Daily News believes the Knicks have assembled their most talented roster in 12 years.
- Jeremy Lin isn't the only waiver pickup exceeding expectations for the Knicks, as Steve Novak has been a major beneficiary of his more famous teammate's play, as Ben Bolch examines in the Chicago Tribune.
- Former Clippers and current Suns coach Alvin Gentry admires the team the Clips have put together this year, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times.
- Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic points out that Suns guard Shannon Brown, who'll hit the free agent market this summer, has a deceptive career high of 8.9 PPG this year. This has also been one of his worst shooting seasons.
- Maturity is the difference between the Gerald Green who flamed out with the Celtics a few years ago and the player who just returned to the league with the Nets, observes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald.
Poll: Which Team Is Most Likely To Land A Star?
Last night we asked you which star is most likely to be dealt at the March 15 trade deadline, and so far the results seem split between Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol and Monta Ellis, with a slight edge to Howard. So, the next question is where you think those stars could be going before the deadline. The Nets, Warriors, Rockets and Lakers all seem to either be actively pursuing big names or have been frequently linked to major trade candidates. The Knicks always seem to be lurking around the perimeter of splashy moves, too. Without regard to where superstars might sign in the offseason, which of these teams do you think is most likely to land a marquee talent?
Which Team Is Most Likely To Land A Star?
-
Los Angeles Lakers 40% (398)
-
New Jersey Nets 25% (253)
-
None of the above 16% (164)
-
Golden State Warriors 9% (90)
-
Houston Rockets 6% (56)
-
New York Knicks 5% (46)
Total votes: 1,007
Dwight Howard Rumors: Saturday
After putting up 33 points and nine boards in a losing effort against the Thunder on Thursday night, Dwight Howard took questions from the press as he gets ready to take on the Bucks tonight. Here's the latest on Howard..
- RealGM columnist Jarrod Rudolph believes teams don't like what the Magic have to offer other than Howard, and that's slowing trade talk right now. If the Knicks make a play for Howard, though, Rudolph thinks they offer Orlando the best deal in return. (Twitter links)
- After hearing Howard's trade requests for months, the Magic are crazy to think they have a shot at keeping him, salary cap expert Larry Coon tweets.
- While talking with reporters, Howard seemed to leave open the door about possibly remaining with the Magic for the long term, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. At the same time, the big man was vague and wouldn't answer a question asking whether he has made a choice about his future.