Hoops Links: Nuggets, Cavs, Walker, Wizards
Thirty-three years ago, rookies Larry Bird and Magic Johnson made their NBA debuts. In Boston, Bird put up 14 points and 10 rebounds as the Celtics topped the Rockets 114-106. Meanwhile, Johnson had some impressive dimes in his first NBA action, but he wasn't even close to being the star of the night as the Lakers battled the Clippers. World B. Free put up 46 points in San Diego only to watch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar win the game for Los Angeles with a buzzer-beating skyhook.
If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature in Hoops Links, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..
- The NBA Geek expects the Nuggets to surprise this season.
- The Basketball Post wonders if the Cavs are ready to take the next step.
- Rufus On Fire sets the bar for Kemba Walker in his sophomore campaign.
- NBA 24 7 365 goes inside the huddle of Knicks coach Mike Woodson.
- Bullets Forever tackles the Wizards' small forward problem.
- SLC Dunk looks at who is overpaid and underpaid on the Jazz.
- Wages Of Wins has good news for Knicks fans.
- Bucksketball gives us a primer on John Henson.
- Smooth's Hoops defends their take on the Nuggets.
- Canis Hoopus looks at the future of one-guards.
- Nets Are Scorching would rather have this Nets team than Derrick Favors and cap room.
- Basketball Prospectus peels back the curtain to explain their NCAA projections.
- RealGM runs down the Pacific.
- Hardwood Paroxysm is amped for some exhibition basketball.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.
Western Notes: McGee, Dirk, Biedrins, Jazz
Some Friday updates out of the Western Conference:
- The Thunder announced a series of staff additions, they announced today. They hired Mike Wilks as a Pro Scout and Amanda Green as Basketball Operations Coordinator/Legal & Administration. They also promoted Paul Rivers to Director of Basketball Operations, Will Dawkins to Director of College Player Personnel and Brandon Barnett to Director of Minor League Operations/Pro Scout.
- Also regarding the Thunder, Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman says that the backup point job in Oklahoma City is still up for grabs between Eric Maynor and Reggie Jackson. Maynor is the incumbent but is coming back from a knee injury. With James Harden sidelined with hamstring issues, Thunder coach Scott Brooks said he may experiment with both guards on the floor at the same time to gauge his backcourt flexibility.
- John Reid of the Times-Picaynne puts together a lengthy but excellent feature on Austin Rivers, implying that it was Rivers' drive that resulted in him moving up draft boards before landing with the Hornets at the tenth pick.
- Nuggets coach George Karl isn't about to let JaVale McGee's lucrative new contract dictate how much playing time he gives the big man, as Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post writes.
- Dirk Nowitzki had his knee drained for the second time this month, and is still contemplating the possibility of undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his knee, according to Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Coach Rick Carlisle expects offseason acquisition Darren Collison to "be great" for the Mavericks, writes McMahon.
- SI.com's Chris Ballard examines Andris Biedrins' precipitous decline, and wonders whether the big man will be able to turn his career around. Biedrins still has two years and $18MM left on his contract with the Warriors, who no longer have the amnesty clause available.
- Al Jefferson was glad to see the Jazz add a number of outside shooters via trades and free agency this offseason, writes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.
Blazers Claim Justin Holiday
The Blazers announced tonight, via Twitter, that they have claimed Justin Holiday off waivers. He will join the team on Sunday. Justin, the older brother of Jrue Holiday, was released by the Cavs on Wednesday after being signed on October 1.
Holiday, 23, played at Washington and went undrafted despite being ranked as the 57th-best prospect in the class by ESPN.com's Chad Ford. He should still be considered a long shot to make an NBA roster, though it is interesting that he was claimed this late in the preseason. Holiday will wear number 10.
Southeast Links: Sessions, Hawks, Vaughn, Magic
There are seven preseason games around the NBA tonight, and not one of them involves a team from the Southeast Division. But that doesn't mean their aren't links coming surrounding the division that houses the current NBA champs. Let's keep track of them here:
- Ramon Sessions talked with Marc J. Spears of Yahoo!, explaining why he decided to opt out of his contract with the Lakers to sign a 2-year deal with the Bobcats. Sessions, who has bounced between teams throughout his career, was concerned that the Lakers may move him and was looking for some destination certainty, which he found in Charlotte.
- Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution says that should the Hawks stick to the 15 player roster limit, the last two spots will come down to James Anderson, Damion James and Anthony Tolliver. Point guard Carldell Johnson is still with the club, but will almost definitely miss the cut. Vivlamore adds that it is no guarantee the Hawks keep a roster of 15, but they need to get down to at least that by October 29.
- New Magic coach Jacque Vaughn says that, despite the loss of Dwight Howard, he intends to instill his own defensive philosophy this year which revolves around protecting the paint, says Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Robbins is skeptical is they have the personnel to do it, but Vaughn says, “The way we’re playing defensively is definitely geared toward the personnel that we have right now, for sure. It is a team defense based around five guys being in the right position at the right time."
- Brian Schmitz of the Sentinel writes that the Magic have essentially had a superstar in 19 of 20 years of the franchise's existence if you don't count the first three. Without Howard, Schmitz opines that the team's history tells us that it is only a matter of time before they find the next one. The question is, how long can they keep him once he arrives, whoever he is.
Poll: How Many Points Will Dirk Average?
We heard earlier today that Dirk Nowitzki had his knee drained for the second time this month, which is the latest update in a string of recent injury news regarding the 7-foot German. Nowitzki, now 34, played in 62 of 66 games last season and has stayed remarkably healthy throughout his 14-year career. But last season was arguably his worst statistically since his second year in the league. That, coupled with his age and the troubling news on his knee may have some people concerned about his ability to carry the load in Dallas. What do you think?
Nowitzki averaged 21.6 points per game last year, while good for 8th in the league, was also his third straight season where his scoring average declined. So what will he average this year, in his 15th season in what will surely be a Hall of Fame career?
How Many Points Will Dirk Average?
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18-21, in a slow decline 34% (119)
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20-22, same as last year 32% (112)
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22-25, a rebound year 20% (72)
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below 18, his age has started to show 7% (26)
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Over 25, one last elite year 7% (24)
Total votes: 353
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Terry, Richardson, DeRozan
Yesterday we heard about the extensive Atlantic Division fallout from the Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum trade, which at this point, seems like it will have ramifications in every corner of the NBA. The Atlantic has to be the NBA's most interesting division heading into the season. With the Sixers facing the Nets in Atlantic City tomorrow night, let's look at some other news from the division:
- We mentioned Doc Rivers' comments regarding Jason Terry earlier below, and Greg Payne from ESPN Boston has more. According to Rivers, Terry could start for the Celtics, Payne says. While they targeted him with a sixth man role in mind, Rivers is keeping all of his options open. Terry, of course, says he is ready for any role the team needs him in.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York had a Knicks chat today (transcript here). Among the topics discussed, Zwerling said that he considers Raymond Felton a better fit for the Knicks than the departed Jeremy Lin. With an aging roster, it's doubtful that we see much that matters from their regulars in preseason.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers says that free agent acquisition
Jason Terry, "filled a need," according to a CSN New England staff
report. Terry's new teammates all seem to be pretty happy with the
addition of their new sixth man, but no one's endorsement was quite as
strong as that of Rivers: "When you think about the history of the
Celtics and the great sixth man, he's been that in Dallas and he wants
to be that with the Celtics. That makes it a little easier to coach." - Trade acquisition Jason Richardson talked to Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld (via video)
about the new-look Sixers. Richardson calls the Sixers "dark horses"
that have slipped under the radar in terms of title contention.
Richardson says along with himself, the additions Dorell Wright and Nick
Young are key considering that Andrew Bynum is best utilized if
surrounded by shooters. - DeMar DeRozan has the look of a complete player so far this preseason, writes Doug Smith
of the Toronto Star. DeRozan has tons of athletic ability and has
shown a propensity to score in his first three seasons in the NBA.
According to Smith, DeRozan has bulked up and shown a willingness to
defend this fall, which has been a definite weakness in his game. With
the additions of Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross, Landry Fields and Jonas
Valanciunas, if DeRozan can make the leap, there may be some hope for
the Raptors despite being in a loaded division.
Hoops Rumors On Facebook/Twitter/RSS
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If you prefer to receive updates only on roster moves such as signings, cuts, and trades, you can follow our transactions-only feeds via RSS and Twitter.
Free Agents Ineligible To Sign With Specific Teams
Among the myriad rules in the NBA's collective bargaining agreement is a stipulation that says teams that trade players can't claim those players off waivers or re-sign them until the earlier of the following two dates:
- One year after the trade was completed.
- July 1st after the player's contract ends.
In some cases, this rule is simple to apply to practical cases. For instance, the Nets traded Mehmet Okur's expiring contract to Portland last March at the trade deadline, and the Blazers waived Okur shortly thereafter. Because Okur's deal was set to expire at season's end, he was ineligible to re-sign with the Nets during last season, but regained that ability as of July 1st, when his contract expired.
Other cases are trickier, however. For example, Derek Fisher was traded to the Rockets by the Lakers last March 15th, and was bought out by the Rockets shortly thereafter. Fisher had a player option on his contract for 2012/13, which raises the question: When exactly is his contract considered to be "over"? In his CBA FAQ, salary cap expert Larry Coon provides an answer:
- For contracts with options or ETOs, the end date of the contract is interpreted as the June 30th before an option year, and the June 30th after an ETO year.
Fisher's option wasn't an ETO, so the June 30th before his option year should be considered the "end" of his contract, making him eligible to sign with the Lakers beginning in July, right? Well, not quite.
As confirmed by Coon, Fisher's player option for 2012/13 actually was exercised when he worked out his buyout with the Rockets, allowing the team to split his buyout amount in half between the 2011/12 and '12/13 seasons. That means Fisher is still on the Rockets' books for this season, and his contract isn't considered to be over until next June 30th. As such, the earliest date he can re-sign with the Lakers is March 15th, 2013, a year after the trade.
Since players acquired in trades generally aren't waived immediately, this situation doesn't arise all that often. And many of the players who found themselves in such a position have since signed with other teams — for instance, Josh Harrellson was ineligible to rejoin the Knicks after being waived by the Rockets, but ended up signing with the Heat.
By my count, the eight players listed below, plus Fisher, comprise the group of NBA free agents who are currently ineligible to sign with a specific team, but feel free to contact us if there are any I've missed.
- Jerome Dyson: Traded to the Suns and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013. Currently signed to play in Israel.
- Jordan Farmar: Traded to the Hawks and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until July 1st, 2013. Currently signed to play in Turkey.
- D.J. Kennedy: Traded to the Grizzlies and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Cavaliers until July 1st, 2013.
- Brad Miller: Traded to the Suns and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013.
- Darryl Watkins: Traded to the Sixers and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Hornets until July 1st, 2013.
- Jordan Williams: Traded to the Hawks and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until July 11th, 2013.
- Sean Williams: Traded to the Rockets and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Celtics until July 1st, 2013.
- Shawne Williams. Traded to the Trail Blazers and waived. Ineligible to re-sign with the Nets until March 15th, 2013.
Note: Players who were waived via the amnesty clause are also ineligible to re-sign with their old teams until the amnestied contract expires.
Eastern Notes: Sixers, Heat, Mullens, Ewing
As we await an evening preseason schedule that includes a pair of contests between Eastern teams (Pistons/Raptors and Bulls/Cavaliers), let's round up the latest links out of the Eastern Conference….
- Jrue Holiday, who is eligible for a contract extension this month, tells Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld that he thinks the 76ers are on the "right path" to title contention.
- The Heat haven't been involved in trade deadline deals in recent years, and Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel isn't expecting that to change this season. Winderman also addresses the Heat's two open roster spots in his latest mailbag.
- Byron Mullens is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer believes he's exceeded expectations more than anyone else in Bobcats camp so far (Twitter link).
- At a Madison Square Garden promotion, Patrick Ewing told Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post that he's still hoping to coach an NBA team, whether it's the Knicks or another club, despite not being hired this offseason. "I’m just home, hanging out," Ewing said. "I do have coaching [aspirations], but all the jobs are taken up right now. So I’m just hanging out, relaxing and taking some time off and will try to come back next year."
- Sam Smith fields a number of Bulls-related questions in his newest mailbag at Bulls.com.
Camp Notes: Curry, Douglas-Roberts, Roberts
Thursday night brought another round of roster cuts, as the Rockets, Spurs, and Hawks all released players, moving a step closer to finalizing their regular-season rosters. Plenty of camp invitees around the league remain on the bubble though, so let's round up the latest updates on a few roster hopefuls….
- Eddy Curry has performed well for the Spurs in camp and preseason so far, and is optimistic about his chances of making the team, as he tells Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News."I think I’m going to make it," Curry said. "Until they tell me I’m not, I feel like I’m part of this team."
- In a Q&A with Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Chris Douglas-Roberts says he was talking to a few teams before signing with the Lakers. According to Douglas-Roberts, he passed up a situation or two where earning a roster spot likely would have been easier.
- Although he graduated from Dayton four years ago, Brian Roberts has yet to play in a regular season NBA game. However, he has made a good early impression in Hornets camp, as Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com writes.
- Displaying an ability to play point guard appears to be Jamar
Smith's best chance to earn a spot on the Celtics, but coach Doc Rivers
isn't sure yet whether the Southern Indiana product is a point or not,
according to Greg Payne of ESPNBoston.com.