Odds & Ends: Austin Rivers, Cooper, Stoudemire
John Reid of the Times-Picayune writes that Austin Rivers is on schedule to be fully healed in time for Hornets' training camp in October after undergoing surgery on his right ankle three weeks ago. The rookie joins a list of teammates, namely Xavier Henry and Robin Lopez, who are recovering from recent surgeries. Regardless, head coach Monty Williams looks to have all three ready by the time the regular season starts. With that aside, here are more noteworthy tidbits from around the Association:
- C.J. Miles elaborated more on the opportunity he has to expand his game with the Cavaliers, especially for a coach like Byron Scott, who believes that Miles has a lot of untapped potential (Jason Lloyd of Ohio.com reports).
- Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweets that former Timberwolves and Trail Blazers assistant Dean Cooper is headed to the Rockets to join Kevin McHale's coaching staff.
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link) mentions that Cavaliers GM Chris Grant is encouraged about Kelenna Azubuike, who looks like he's moving well and could be a contributor this season.
- Knicks forward Amare Stoudemire told ESPN's Stephen A. Smith that he'll return to the court "stronger than ever" this upcoming season.
- 76ers GM Rod Thorn acknowledges heightened expectations and says that Philadelphia fans appear to be especially excited because of the acquisition of Andrew Bynum, according to Dei Lynam of CSN Philly.
- Jenni Carlson of NewsOK thinks that James Harden is better suited to thrive in a small market city with the Thunder rather than be potentially distracted in what she terms "hot spots."
Cuban On Offseason Additions, Rebuilding
This afternoon, we relayed some notes from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's interview on the Ben and Skin show on 103.3 ESPN Dallas. After the show, Mike Heika of SportsDay DFW caught up with Cuban to ask some follow up questions on the team's recent additions, the team's future, and the approach they took heading into the 2012 offseason. Here are some highlights:
When asked if the team will be building on a year-to-year basis in terms of handing out one-year deals:
No. We will do things like we always have done. We will be opportunistic. I'm not sure why everyone is dismissing the players we signed and traded for as if they don’t count. My hope is that we can stick with the guys we have and develop them and this team into champions. Nothing would make me happier than for OJ and DC to be the nucleus of our back court for years to come and Dahntay , Elton and Chris Kaman to play for the Mavs for years to come.
Once we see the identity our team takes, and our strengths and weaknesses we will look to fill in pieces from there…Most likely those changes will come from trades, just as we have done for the last 12 years, but we will have the additional option of using cap room to facilitate trades or signings. Or we can use our cap room to re-sign our own guys, which is what I really hope we have to do.
On whether or not the team will try to re-stock with high draft picks moving forward:
"We approach things the same way every year. That won’t change. We will be opportunistic. THere are too many things that change year to year to set your sites on one player, or one way of doing things. That said, the one thing you can’t change is players don’t get younger. You have to take into account the age of your team and the impact that has on where you are and where you will be… At some point you have to get younger, so we planned to have most of our contracts expire over 2 years. We stuck to that plan to get younger. But within that, as always we try to be opportunistic and I think we have done a good job over the years."
On the team's approach to plan for roster flexibility this summer after winning the championship in 2011:
"…we would not have traded for Tyson or signed Peja or others if they had more than 1 year deals. That was our plan and we stuck to it…And one more point. Just to be clear to all Mavs fans. The one thing we DON’T do is set our sites on some future free agent. We haven’t, don’t and won’t have a specific future free agent as our goal. That is just plain stupidity. Whenever you read or hear that the Mavs have their eyes on such and such a free agent next summer, its a lie. The person saying it is making it up or has gotten it from someone who has made it up. We don’t and won’t work that way."
Spurs Waive Derrick Byars
HoopsWorld reports that the Spurs have waived forward Derrick Byars. The 28-year-old forward played in the last two games of the regular season for San Antonio, averaging 5.0 PPG and 5.5 RPG in 18.5 MPG. Since being drafted in the second round in 2007, the former Vanderbilt standout has played in Europe and in the NBA D-League.
While he participated in training camp for the Bulls in 2009 and was signed by the Heat last December, Byars was not able to remain with either team before the start of their regular season schedules respectively. Although he had signed a multi-year deal with the Spurs in April, Byars' contract was not fully guaranteed for the 2012-13 season. The roster now stands at 14.
Amico On Grant, Miles, Irving, Waiters
Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio writes that Cavaliers GM Chris Grant is happy with where the team is now, having added Dion Waiters, Tyler Zeller, and C.J. Miles this summer (Sulia link). However, Grant also says that the team still hopes to sign Alonzo Gee but understands that the process could take some time (Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets). Here are a few more miscellaneous notes coming out of Cleveland this evening, courtesy of Amico:
- Miles, who looks at his situation in Cleveland as a fresh start, believes that he has more to offer than what he had been able to show in Utah (Sulia link).
- According to head coach Byron Scott, Kyrie Irving says he's "doing great" and has already been dribbling with his surgically repaired hand.
- Scott also mentioned that Dion Waiters has been working out in Los Angeles since the summer league and appeared to look much better conditioning-wise.
Odds & Ends: Paul, Harden, Cavs, Suns
The Clippers announced today in a press release that Chris Paul underwent successful surgery this morning to repair a torn ligament in his thumb. According to the team, Paul is expected to be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, which would put his return date in mid-October, about two weeks before the team's regular-season opener. Here are a few more Tuesday odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Zach Lowe of SI.com explores the possibility of the Thunder trading James Harden in a deal that would allow them to avoid a future tax hit and remain competitive in the short-term.
- Meanwhile, based on their cap management and draft strategy, it appears the Cavaliers are trying to recreate their own version of the Thunder, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld.
- With current Sun Jermaine O'Neal and ex-Sun Grant Hill preparing to undergo Regenokine therapy, Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic examines the "magic treatment."
- Appearing on 640Sports radio, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra talked about the Lakers' offseason improvements, and how exciting it is for NBA fans that plenty of playoff teams only improved this summer (link via Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel).
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld identifies a handful of rookies to watch in 2012/13, while HoopsWorld's Yannis Koutroupis names four 2011 lottery picks who could benefit a change of scenery.
Mark Cuban On Kidd, Kobe, Nowitzki
Earlier today, we passed along comments from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban about the team's failed pursuit of Deron Williams, with Cuban insisting the Mavs were in better position after having missed out on the summer's top free agent. As it turns out, Cuban had plenty more to say during his appearance on the Ben and Skin Show on 103.3 FM in Dallas, so let's round up his other comments of note right here:
- Cuban is still upset by Jason Kidd's last-minute decision to back out of a potential three-year contract agreement with the Mavs and accept essentially the same deal from the Knicks, as ESPNDallas.com's Jeff Caplan writes. "I was more than upset. I thought he was coming. I was pissed," Cuban said. "J-Kidd is a big boy; he can do whatever he wants. But you don't change your mind like that…. It hurt my feelings, period, because I felt that we had developed a relationship, and I thought that he was committed to the organization."
- According to Cuban, the Mavericks nearly completed a trade for Kobe Bryant in the summer of 2007 (link via Jon Machota of the Dallas Morning News). Cuban said today that the proposed deal didn't involve Dirk Nowitzki, and that he was discussing it in between rehearsals for 'Dancing With the Stars': "Literally, between 'Dancing with the Stars' practices I had thought we traded for Kobe Bryant. I even talked to their owner and thought we were going to have a done deal, and [Lakers GM] Mitch Kupchak changed [Kobe’s] mind and brought him back."
- As for whether he'd consider trading Dirk if the franchise begins a full-fledged rebuild in the near future, Cuban answered with an emphatic no, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. If Nowitzki were to request a deal, that may change the equation, but the Mavs owner can't see that happening: "I know Dirk; he wouldn't."
Possible Fits For Leandro Barbosa
The number of household names on our list of 2012/13 free agents continues to dwindle, but there are still a handful of intriguing veterans out there, including Josh Howard, Kenyon Martin, and Anthony Tolliver, among others. One notable free agent still seeking a new contract is combo guard Leandro Barbosa. We've heard plenty of rumors involving the 29-year-old, but with September approaching, he remains unsigned.
Barbosa is coming off a five-year, $33MM contract and is still productive, so he's unlikely to accept a minimum-salary deal. And while he has the ability to play both guard positions, he's definitely a scorer first rather than a facilitator, which wouldn't be a fit for some teams. So what clubs could offer a moderate salary to Barbosa and could use a scorer off the bench? Let's run through a few possibilities….
Denver Nuggets ($3.33MM of mid-level exception available)
Denver hasn't been linked to Barbosa at all this summer, but I like the fit on paper — while the Nuggets have 15 contracts on their books, Julyan Stone's minimum-salary deal isn't guaranteed, so the team could clear a spot if it wanted to. Andre Iguodala figures to start at the two, with Corey Brewer backing him up, but neither player is a particularly strong outside shooter. Only Evan Fournier fills that role, and it might be a mistake to expect too much out of a rookie that was initially expected to continue playing overseas for a year or two before joining the Nuggets. Barbosa could provide outside scoring and act as an emergency backup at the point behind Ty Lawson and Andre Miller.
Phoenix Suns ($8MM+ in cap space, $2.575MM room exception available)
Barbosa has spent most of his career in Phoenix and the Suns certainly have the necessary money and roster space. They've also been rumored to have a little interest. With Wesley Johnson and Shannon Brown penciled in at shooting guard, the Suns could use one more reliable veteran at the position, but the team may value its cap flexibility more than the scoring Barbosa could provide.
Indiana Pacers ($2.575MM room exception available)
The Pacers had to renounce Barbosa to make their other roster moves this offseason, so they don't retain any form of his Bird rights. But Indiana does have its room exception, so if there's any interest in a reunion, the team could probably make a competitive offer. Still, the Pacers' need isn't glaring, and Barbosa didn't exactly thrive after Indiana acquired him at the trade deadline — his .399 FG% would have been a career-worst over a full season, and his mark in the playoffs (37%) was even lower.
Milwaukee Bucks ($4.35MM of mid-level exception remaining)
The Bucks' two marquee players, Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis, are guards, but the team's backcourt depth doesn't extend a whole lot further. Doron Lamb and Beno Udrih are the only other guards on the roster. The Bucks would probably prefer to add at least one more player to the backcourt by trading one of their many big men, but if they can't find a deal, a free agent signing may be necessary. The Bucks actually strikes me as a solid fit for Barbosa, given the money they could offer, paired with the team's on-court need. But Milwaukee isn't the most desirable destination for free agents, so even if the club is interested, we'll have to see if Barbosa would seriously consider signing there.
Detroit Pistons ($2.5MM of mid-level exception available)
As we heard yesterday, Joe Dumars is still looking to bolster the Pistons' backcourt, but it seems he's focusing on trades for now, rather than free agents. Considering Detroit already has 15 players on guaranteed contracts, it seems unlikely the team would ditch one of its current guys for a non-essential piece like Barbosa. However, if no trades are out there, it remains an outside possibility.
Cleveland Cavaliers ($11MM+ of cap space, $2.575MM room exception available)
Barbosa hinted earlier this summer that he wouldn't mind hearing from the Cavs, and it's not hard to see why — Cleveland is one of the only clubs with the space to offer him the $7.6MM salary he made last year. Of course, the Cavs aren't about to make such an offer, and with Alonzo Gee seemingly on his way back to Cleveland, the team may be close to finishing its free agent spending.
If Barbosa is open to accepting a minimum-salary contract, or perhaps the bi-annual exception, which would pay him a little less than $2MM annually, we could add plenty more potential suitors to this list. But based on reports to date, it doesn't seem like he's ready to settle just yet. It wouldn't surprise me if we heard rumors linking him to a couple more of the clubs in this post before he eventually signs a new deal.
Stoudemire Talks Olajuwon, Lin, Felton, D12
From offseason back surgery to his brother's death to his injury via fire extinguisher during the first round of the playoffs, last season was "the toughest year of my career," according to Amare Stoudemire. However, heading into 2012/13, he feels "phenomenal," as he tells Zach Braziller of the New York Post. In Braziller's piece and in an interview on KNBR in San Francisco (link via Sports Radio Interviews), the Knicks forward discussed the offseason and the coming year. Here are a few of his more notable comments:
On working out with former MVP Hakeem Olajuwon this summer:
"There’s so many moves that I picked up from Hakeem. Just developing my post [game] has been phenomenal for me. When I came out of high school, I was thrown the ball and [told], 'Do what you do best.' I never got a chance to develop my game as far as [in the] post. Working with Hakeem is going to be a great advantage for me."
On how the departure of Jeremy Lin affects the Knicks:
"Jeremy had a great run for us. He uplifted us a lot last season. To see him leave… it’s never fun to see one of your teammates leave, but again that’s the name of the game. It happens all the time, but the front office did a great job of bringing in players to improve the team and we are looking pretty good."
On new Knicks point guard Raymond Felton:
"Raymond’s going to be awesome. He’s going to be great for us. He’s a player that wants to improve. He always talks about getting better."
On whether it was a surprise to see Dwight Howard leave the Eastern Conference:
"It wasn’t. I figured something was going to happen. There was a lot of talk between Dwight going somewhere else, so we knew something was going to happen. I just hope that his back is healed up and he’s able to come back full strength."
On the Knicks' prospects for 2012/13:
"Training camp is very, very key for us. We get full training camp, get that chemistry down, we’re going to be golden."
Cuban: Mavs In Better Position Without D-Will
Although the Mavericks made a handful of smart, low-cost moves to fill out their 2012/13 roster and maintain flexibility going forward, the team was still widely considered one of the offseason's "losers," having missed out on top target Deron Williams. However, owner Mark Cuban, appearing on the Ben and Skin Show in Dallas, suggested he feels the Mavs are in better position having failed to sign Williams than they would have been with him (link via the Dallas Morning News).
"In hindsight, I don’t know if I would have been happy," Cuban said of signing D-Will to a max-salary deal. "I think we’re in better position now then we would’ve been if we’d gotten him…. I don’t want to pick on Deron Williams because he’s a great, great, great, great player, so it’s not necessarily him, per se. Obviously the decision was to go for him. But the conversation was, 'OK, once you take $17.1MM in salary to what we have with Dirk [Nowitzki] and [Shawn Marion], then what do you do?' That’s your squad. And it’s not just your squad for this year, it’s your squad for next year, other than the $3.3MM mini mid-level."
Since deciding not to re-sign Tyson Chandler and J.J. Barea last December, breaking up the squad that beat the Heat for the title in 2011, Cuban has repeatedly talked about adjusting to the new CBA, including the benefits of maintaing cap flexibility and avoiding expensive, long-term contracts. While it's easy to view his comments on Williams as spin, it's true that committing big money to D-Will would have prevented Dallas from making many other moves to complement its stars.
Cuban added that the Mavs' potential inability to make more moves after landing Williams likely influenced the point guard's decision to remain in Brooklyn: "Everybody talks about Dirk’s window, but not only would it have been difficult to add players, it also would have been difficult to trade players. In reality, that was the same problem that Deron had. Because he looked and saw the same thing and said, ‘Now what are you going to do?’"
Following Specific Players On Hoops Rumors
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