Free Agent Stock Watch: Antawn Jamison
In the 1996 movie Eddie, Whoopi Goldberg plays a die-hard Knicks fan who eventually becomes the team's head coach after winning a halftime contest. John Salley plays a wily old veteran player who is called on to step in and contribute after the team's superstar encounters some struggles. While the former will likely never happen in real life, the idea of players in their twilight stage being able to contribute on competitive teams is not a far-fetched occurrence in the NBA. Grant Hill, at 38-years-old, played in 81 regular season games and 16 playoff games averaging 30 MPG for a Suns team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2010. Ray Allen, who is set to turn 37 this July, has played in at least 91% of his teams games and has averaged at least 34 MPG in each of his last three seasons with Boston. Waiting in the wings to play for a contending team is 35-year-old Antawn Jamison.
After being dealt three times in the span of his 14-year career, Jamison heads into this summer with the ability to choose his own destination. As we documented earlier this month, Jamison is unlikely to remain in Cleveland:
"I want to win," Jamison said. "Tomorrow is not promised. I might not be here next year. I can’t worry about what we’re planning for next year. For me and a lot of these other guys, what can we do now? It was tough to know we were so close [to playoff contention] and instead of taking steps forward, we took dramatic steps backward."
Boasting averages of 17.8 PPG and 6.4 RPG, Jamison will be an attractive free agent for contending teams who will not have to break the bank too much in order to add a valuable rotation player. Another selling point will be how healthy he's been able to keep himself this season, playing 33.7 MPG and starting in all the 57 games he's played in. While his 41.2 FG% this year is less than spectacular, I doubt that he will maintain such a high volume of attempts (16.5) wherever he winds up next year.
Jamison can play either forward spot, and his skill set can be effectively utilized in small lineups. His long-range shooting ability could force conventional power forwards to guard him out on the perimeter where they are uncomfortable defensively, which consequently spaces the floor and opens the driving lanes for his teammates. His numbers also show that he can still be active on the glass, as his 2 offensive RPG average would indicate. Jamison may very well be a modicum of productivity with a team's second unit, given the type of numbers he's been able to put up this season.
I would think that both the Heat and Thunder would be on the radar, or at least have interest from Antawn's side. Chicago still has Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer, Luol Deng, and Jimmy Butler in their forward crop, so it doesn't necessarily look like an ideal fit at this point. The Lakers could also show some interest, but they are still in line to handle Ramon Sessions' status as an unrestricted free agent and will exercise Andrew Bynum's $16.1MM team option for next season (not to mention that they would be pushing themselves considerably further above the luxury tax). This is all speculation of course, but I would think that whoever is still active in late May/early June will be a candidate to land Jamison in July.
Odds & Ends: Magic, Randolph, Kings, Irving
Earlier this evening, an ESPN report (via the Associated Press) indicated that Stan Van Gundy is prepared to handle the rest of the season and playoffs without Dwight Howard. To make matter worse, forward Glen Davis hyper-extended his right knee today during the first quarter against the Cavaliers and did not return for the rest of the game. Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel tweeted that Davis is unsure about when he'll be able to play again this year, which currently leaves Daniel Orton as the only true big man on the Magic roster. It should be noted that if the Magic decide to find replacements for their big man rotation through free agency, the only playoff-eligible players at this point are those who have not already played in an NBA game this year. You can find tonight's other significant stories here:
- Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press writes that the determining factor in Anthony Randolph's future with the Timberwolves will significantly hinge on his ability to remain consistent as the team finishes out the year. Randolph is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and even with his brilliant performance over the last three games, coach Rick Adelman feels that the jury is still out on whether he can be counted on for a full season.
- Ken Berger of CBS Sports writes that a Sacramento group including mayor Kevin Johnson is hinting at proposing new ownership for the Kings. The Maloof brothers had recently pulled out of a deal to finance a new arena with the city, much to the chagrin of the city members who are working hard to keep the team in Sacramento.
- Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott will proceed with caution with regards to the health of Kyrie Irving, says Tom Reed of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Irving is recovering from a sprained right shoulder, and Scott would rather have him focused on being ready for off-season workouts than returning for the team's final weeks.
- Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated examines the role of Chris Bosh as the key to Miami's playoff success.
- Raymond Felton has likely seen his last minutes of the season with the Trail Blazers, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Interim GM Chad Buchanan said that he and Felton agreed that this would be an opportune time to properly evaluate their other young guards, namely Nolan Smith and Jonny Flynn. Haynes also wrote another article in which he asked Kings GM Geoff Petrie about being linked to the Blazers vacant GM position, to which Petrie replied: “That's something I can't really comment on. I have a job.”
- Ten things you need to know about Derrick Favors, according to Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post spoke with coach George Karl to reflect on how he has handled coaching while prioritizing his life during this season.
Caplan on Terry, Nowitzki, Cuban
After today's loss against the Lakers, the Mavericks currently hold just two less losses than the ninth-place Suns and the tenth-place Jazz. Denver's win against Houston tonight places them only a half-game behind the Mavericks for the sixth spot, and the Rockets would be 1.5 games behind. Luckily for the Dallas, they own the tie-breaker against the Nuggets, Suns, Rockets, and Jazz. However, both Utah and Houston will still have their chances to spoil the Mavericks' standing in the Western conference as their respective matchups against Dallas this week could have major implications. Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas presents the hot topics surrounding the team tonight:
- Owner Mark Cuban has lobbied to make basket interference calls reviewable during the last two minutes of regulation and overtime. This stemmed from a crucial play in which the Lakers took a 2-point lead in overtime after Pau Gasol knocked down a three point shot. Matt Barnes appeared to have touched the ball while it was in the cylinder and even acknowledged it afterward, according to Cuban.
- Dirk Nowitzki is in the midst of a shooting slump and insists that despite his 9-for-28 performance today, being a volume shooter is not how he wants to play. Dirk is shooting 38.3% from the field over his last five games.
- Jason Terry briefly recounts the last play in overtime in which he came up short on a drive to the basket.
Knicks Notes: Chandler, Stoudemire, Carmelo
The Knicks' home winning streak under Mike Woodson was snapped at nine games at the hands of the Heat this afternoon. New York still holds the eighth and final playoff spot but are just two games ahead of the Bucks with six games left to play. You can find today's Knicks-related stories here:
- Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com says that center Tyson Chandler doesn't expect to miss any time after getting hurt during today's game. Chandler banged knees with Joel Anthony during the third quarter. In another article, Josh Newman (also of ZagsBlog) writes about how today's meeting could be a preview of a Knicks-Heat first round matchup.
- Newsday's Al Iannazzone noted Dwyane Wade's comments about how the return of Amare will create an adjustment period for the Knicks. ESPN New York's Christopher Hunt took a different focus with Wade's other postgame input, saying that they're tougher and better with Stoudemire in the lineup.
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York writes that the Knicks will need more than just Carmelo Anthony's scoring if they want to be competitive against any of the top seeds in the East during the playoffs.
- Moke Hamilton of SheridanHoops.com reacts to the Knicks loss, discussing the Heat's halfcourt struggles, the need for help for Carmelo, how the Knicks will fare with the return of Amare Stoudemire, and the team's identity defensively.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York discusses pace as it relates to New York's lack of production in the fourth quarter.
Wizards Sign James Singleton
In a tweet by Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the Wizards will sign James Singleton for the rest of the season.
Singleton had signed a 10-day contract with Washington on April 5. Since then, the 30-year-old forward has put up double figure scoring in four of his last six games, including a 12 point and eight rebound performance in a win against the Magic last Tuesday. This should be a great opportunity for James to showcase himself, as he has averaged 24.8 minutes under Randy Wittman since joining the club.
Week In Review: 4/9/12 – 4/15/12
Here’s a look back at all the NBA’s most important news from the past week.
- The Mavericks decided to cut their losses with Lamar Odom, deactivating last year’s Sixth Man of the Year.
- Baylor’s Perry Jones III decided to enter the 2012 NBA draft.
- The Cavaliers chose to re-sign guard Lester Hudson to another 10-day contract.
- Raymond Felton said he would love to continue his career with the Trail Blazers.
- The Hornets signed Jerome Dyson to a 10-day contract.
- The Jazz signed Blake Ahearn to a 10-day contract.
- The Warriors are showing an interest in Lamar Odom.
- Steve Kerr is not interested in becoming the Trail Blazers’ next general manager.
- Jamal Crawford is expected to decline his option with the Trail Blazers next month. There’s speculation that he’s interested in rejoining the Warriors.
- Jason Kidd says he wants to play another year.
- Metta World Peace says he considered retiring last year.
- The Rockets signed Diamon Simpson.
- Dwight Howard insists he didn’t ask upper management to fire Stan Van Gundy.
- Florida freshman Bradley Beal will enter the 2012 NBA draft.
- Connecticut freshman Andre Drummond will also enter the 2012 NBA Draft.
- Tom Benson has decided to purchase the Hornets from the NBA for $338MM.
- North Texas freshman Tony Mitchell will enter the 2012 NBA Draft.
- Shawne Williams will opt in with the Trail Blazers, and exercise his player option for the upcoming season.
- The Hornets will retain the services of head coach Monty Williams and general manager Dell Demps.
- Gerald Wallace says he’s open to returning to the Nets.
- The Bobcats signed former Cavalier Jamario Moon for the rest of this season.
- Ramon Sessions says he’s looking for a long term contract offer from the Lakers.
- The Wizards will likely waive Roger Mason Jr. after he undergoes season ending finger surgery this Monday.
Poll: Whose Injury Will Have The Largest Postseason Impact?
With recent comments from Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy suggesting Dwight Howard‘s chances of playing in this year’s playoffs is “50-50” due to a herniated disc in his back (Twitter link), and Lakers star Kobe Bryant sitting out his fifth straight game today with a shin related issue, we ask which key player’s injury will have the largest impact on several contenders trying to make their run at the championship.
Whose Injury Has The Biggest Playoff Implications?
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Dwight Howard 50% (221)
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Derrick Rose 30% (135)
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Kobe Bryant 16% (71)
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Other 4% (17)
Total votes: 444
Hoops Rumors Originals: 4/9/12 – 4/15/12
Here's a look back at this past week's original posts from our writers.
- I took a look at Perry Jones III in our Prospect Profile series.
- Luke Adams gives us an update on protected first round draft picks.
- A look at the best 10-day contracts of 2012.
- An investigation into Lamar Odom's trade value.
- Ryan Raroque takes a look at Ersan Ilyasova in our Free Agent Stock Watch series.
- Luke Adams takes a look at Eric Gordon in our Free Agent Stock Watch series.
- In a poll, Sean Highkin asks where restricted free agent Eric Gordon will wind up next season.
- Royce White is given a look in our Prospect Profile series.
- Chuck Myron writes about some major April extensions.
- In his weekly Hoops Links series, Zach Links takes a look around the blogosphere to find some interesting NBA articles.
- Goran Dragic is featured in our Free Agent Stock Watch series.
- Daniel Seco takes a look at the top five free agent acquisitions from this past offseason.
Odds & Ends: Boykins, Sixers, Frank, Heat
Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings from around the league as Sunday's afternoon action gets underway…
- Mark Berman of FOX 26 Sports reports the Rockets have signed Earl Boykins for the remainder of the season.
- The Sixers have reached the do-or-die moment of the season where they are fighting for their playoff lives, writes John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press says Pistons head coach Lawrence Frank is excited for his young players to have the opportunity to further their leadership skills during the NBA Summer League.
- Changes may be coming for the Heat depending on how the team does during the playoffs, suggests Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- According to an official press release from the Cavs, the team has assigned Luke Harangody to the Canton Charge of the D-League after appearing in Saturday night's victory over the Wizards.
- There was no way NBA commissioner David Stern was going to let the city of New Orleans lose another professional basketball team, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.
- Frank DiGiacomo of the New York Daily News says Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov fully supports forward Kris Humphries as the Russian billionaire ripped rapper Kanye West for stating in a song that he could get Nets minority owner Jay-Z to cut Humphries from the team.
Sessions Looking For Long-Term Lakers Deal
Lakers point guard Ramon Sessions is expected to decline a player option for $4.6MM and become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season with hopes of returning to Los Angeles on a long-term deal, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Sessions said that he feels like he has been given an opportunity with the Lakers to show the NBA what he's capable of doing as a starting point guard, something that he hasn't been afforded in other stops along his career.
"It's crazy. My whole career, there's never been a point where I kind of had control," he said. "Now I've got control."
After leaving school early and barely being drafted in 2007 by the Bucks, Sessions struggled to prove that he had the talent to become an impact player in the NBA. From injuries to stints in the D-League to backing up veterans, Sessions often found himself questioning if he would ever make something of himself in the NBA. While he never enjoyed sustained success in any of his myriad stops before arriving in Los Angeles, Sessions showed flashes of brilliance with a Bucks team-record 24 assists in a game his rookie year and a 44-point outburst against the Pistons during his second season.
The former Nevada star was acquired from the Cavs at the trade deadline and has provided the Lakers with a youthful spark as the team's new starting point guard after trading Derek Fisher to the Rockets. Sessions, 26, has been a major reason why the Lakers are currently the third seed in the Western Conference with his 13.1 PPG and 7.1 APG since arriving in Los Angeles. Given his strong level of play and a chance to showcase his talents during the playoffs, Sessions will command a great deal of attention during free agency if he can't strike a deal with the Lakers.