Returnees By Team: Western Conference
We specialize in news about roster movement here at Hoops Rumors, but sometimes looking at the players who stay put can provide just as much insight on the plans of their teams. So we've rounded up the returning players from each Western Conference team, just as we did with the Eastern Conference yesterday.
Unlike the East, where most of the stabillity was found amongst lottery teams — with the exception of the Heat, who brought back a dozen players — five of the West's top six teams with the most returning players made the playoffs last season. The lone exception is the Kings, who finished with the second-worst record in the conference but still brought back 11 guys. The Spurs have the most returnees of any team in the league, with 13.
The players listed here were all under contract with their teams at the end of 2011/12. So, Andrew Bogut is listed as a returnee for the Warriors even though he's never played a game for the team, since his rights were acquired in a midseason trade last year. Likewise, Raja Bell is on this list since he remains on the Jazz roster despite his absence from camp as he continues to work on a buyout with the team.
- Spurs (13) — DeJuan Blair, Matt Bonner, Boris Diaw, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili,Danny Green, Stephen Jackson, Cory Joseph, Kawhi Leonard, Patty Mills, Gary Neal, Tony Parker, Tiago Splitter
- Thunder (12) — Cole Aldrich, Nick Collison, Daequan Cook, Kevin Durant, James Harden, Lazar Hayward, Serge Ibaka, Reggie Jackson, Eric Maynor, Kendrick Perkins, Thabo Sefolosha, Russell Westbrook
- Jazz (11) — Raja Bell, Alec Burks, DeMarre Carroll, Jeremy Evans, Derrick Favors,Gordon Hayward, Al Jefferson, Enes Kanter, Paul Millsap, Jamaal Tinsley, Earl Watson
- Kings (11) — DeMarcus Cousins, Tyreke Evans, Jimmer Fredette, Francisco Garcia,Chuck Hayes, Tyler Honeycutt, Travis Outlaw, John Salmons, Isaiah Thomas, Jason Thompson, Marcus Thornton
- Nuggets (11) — Corey Brewer, Wilson Chandler, Kenneth Faried, Danilo Gallinari,Jordan Hamilton, Kosta Koufos, Ty Lawson, JaVale McGee, Andre Miller,Timofey Mozgov, Julyan Stone
- Grizzlies (10) — Tony Allen, Darrell Arthur, Mike Conley, Marc Gasol, Rudy Gay, Hamed Haddadi, Quincy Pondexter, Zach Randolph, Josh Selby, Marreese Speights
- Warriors (9) — Andris Biedrins, Andrew Bogut, Stephen Curry, Richard Jefferson,Charles Jenkins, David Lee, Brandon Rush, Klay Thompson, Jeremy Tyler
- Clippers (8) — Chauncey Billups, Eric Bledsoe, Caron Butler, Blake Griffin, DeAndre Jordan, Travis Leslie, Chris Paul, Trey Thompkins
- Lakers (8) — Steve Blake, Kobe Bryant, Devin Ebanks, Pau Gasol, Andrew Goudelock, Jordan Hill, Darius Morris, Metta World Peace
- Mavericks (7) — Rodrigue Beaubois, Vince Carter, Dominique Jones, Shawn Marion,Dirk Nowitzki, Delonte West, Brandan Wright
- Timberwolves (7) — J.J. Barea, Malcolm Lee, Kevin Love, Nikola Pekovic, Luke Ridnour,Ricky Rubio, Derrick Williams
- Trail Blazers (7) — LaMarcus Aldridge, Luke Babbitt, Nicolas Batum, J.J. Hickson,Wesley Matthews, Nolan Smith, Elliot Williams
- Hornets (6) — Al-Farouq Aminu, Eric Gordon, Xavier Henry, Jason Smith, Lance Thomas, Greivis Vasquez
- Suns (6) — Shannon Brown, Jared Dudley, Channing Frye, Marcin Gortat, Markieff Morris, Sebastian Telfair
- Rockets (5) — Kevin Martin, Marcus Morris, Chandler Parsons, Patrick Patterson, Greg Smith
Western Notes: Roy, Conroy, Jefferson, Bogut
Brandon Roy's knee appears to be holding up so far for the Timberwolves, an early sign that his $10.4MM contract might prove a shrewd gamble by GM David Kahn. We've heard about the influence Roy's friend and current teammate Will Conroy had on channeling him to the Wolves, but that's not the only push Conroy gave him.
- Roy wasn't sure about coming back at all until Conroy sold him on the idea, Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press writes. "He was one of the main influences for me to take it serious," Roy said about Conroy. "I was kind of playing around at first, but he was the one who told me, 'You're not done.' He was real big for my confidence."
- In the same piece, Conroy insists to Richardson that Roy's presence isn't the reason why he was invited to Wolves camp. "I'm here because they thought I could help the team," said Conroy, who was also in camp with the Wolves last year. "Kahn and (coach Rick) Adelman know what I can do."
- Richard Jefferson said he experienced "culture shock" after his trade from the Spurs to the Warriors last season, according to Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group. Jefferson says the laid-back atmosphere that disturbed him last year has changed with the additions of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, the return of Andrew Bogut from injury, and a stricter attitude from coach Mark Jackson.
- As for Bogut, the big man expects he'll be ready for game action when the regular season opens, but Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com says there's a legitimate chance he could need more time.
- Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune shares initial observations from some of the Hornets about top-pick Anthony Davis, two preseason games into his NBA career.
- Though to a smaller degree than Davis, 25th overall pick Tony Wroten is also making his presence felt for the Grizzlies, as Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal examines.
Atlantic Rumors: Smith Brothers, Bynum, Celtics
It's been a busy day around the league today, especially for Atlantic Division teams. Here's a roundup of the latest.
- Chris Smith, who needs patella tendon surgery that will keep him out for three to six months, isn't sure exactly how the injury happened, and had been confident he'd make the Knicks, he tells Mark Berman of the New York Post. Berman, who says there's speculation that Chris' older brother J.R. re-signed with the Knicks for less money on the condition Chris would make the team, reports coach Mike Woodson won't rule out keeping a roster spot open for the younger Smith. Still, such a move would be "highly unlikely," Berman says.
- Sixers GM Rod Thorn emailed Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com to deny a report by Howard Eskin of Fox 29 in Philadelphia suggesting the Lakers withheld information about Andrew Bynum's condition before sending him to the Sixers. Bynum is recovering from a bone bruise in his left knee, but the big man says he thinks he'll be ready to play on opening night. Moore points out that Bynum passed a physical after the trade.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers is thinking about using three different starting lineups during the season, writes Mark D'Amico of Celtics.com.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal wonders which of the Knicks' multitude of aging veterans will hold up best.
Rookie Contract 2013/14 Option Tracker
As I noted last month, October 31st represents this year's deadline not only for fourth-year players to sign rookie scale extensions, but also for option decisions on second- and third-year players.
All of the players listed below are under contract with their respective teams for the 2012/13 season, but only have team options for 2013/14. Their clubs must decide by Halloween whether to lock up these guys for '13/14 for the contract amount indicated in parentheses, or to let them become unrestricted free agents.
That October 31st deadline is still three weeks away, and many of the decisions on these players won't become official until much closer to that date, but we'll be tracking every decision right here for the rest of the month. You can find our rookie contract 2013/14 option tracker anytime on the right sidebar under "Hoops Rumors Features." Here's the list to date, with updates to come as decisions are announced:
Odds & Ends: Chandler, Paul, Spurs, Jamison
Let's round up a few Wednesday odds and ends from around the Association….
- Although Wilson Chandler, who signed a five-year deal with the Nuggets earlier in 2012, tells Adrian Dater of the Denver Post that he wouldn't have done anything differently when it comes to playing last year in China, he's looking forward to a bounceback season with the Nuggets.
- Ramona Shelburne and Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com debate whether Chris Paul's impending free agency will become a distraction for the Clippers this season. For his part, Paul has said he doesn't expect to pay much attention to his contract situation until season's end.
- The Spurs are still seeking a permanent solution for backup point guard behind Tony Parker, writes Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. Gary Neal currently has the leg up for the job, but Patrick Mills and Cory Joseph remain in the mix.
- Antawn Jamison spoke to Jeff Miller of the Orange County Register about his decision to sign with the Lakers after he received the OK from his family in North Carolina.
- In an Insider piece, ESPN.com's Chad Ford takes an early look at some of the top ACC prospects expected to be part of the 2013 draft class.
- The Santa Cruz Warriors are interested in selecting Japeth Aguilar of the Philippines in the D-League draft, according to Sid Ventura of Yahoo! Sports. Golden State's D-League affiliate officially received approval today to relocate to Santa Cruz for the 2012/13 season.
Injury Updates: Roy, Dirk, Smith, Hill, Nene
Injury news isn't usually our focus here at Hoops Rumors, but with updates today relating to recent free agent signees, roster hopefuls, and NBA superstars, there's too many updates of note not to pass them along. Here's the latest on the injury statuses of a number of players around the league….
- In an appearance on KFAN in Minneapolis, Brandon Roy said that his knees are holding up great following his first few "grueling practices" with the Timberwolves (link via Sports Radio Interviews).
- According to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, Dirk Nowitzki is fighting knee issues for the second straight year. Nowitzki is hoping a few days of rest will help, but if the problem doesn't improve, it sounds as if he's prepared to undergo a minor procedure: "We’ll see how it responds, but the longer we wait, obviously the worse it is. If we have to do something, it’d be better to do it quick…. But we’re still hopeful that this is a temporary thing. If we relax and rest it for a week and see how it goes, then we’ll have a better idea."
- Knicks camp invitee Chris Smith will undergo patella surgery and miss three to six months, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter), Smith was considered a strong candidate to make the team, so his injury could clear a spot for another player to become the Knicks' 15th man.
- Jordan Hill, who re-signed with the Lakers this summer, won't need surgery for a herniated disc in his back and should be ready to play in the team's regular-season opener, reports Adrian Wojnarnowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- Wizards coach Randy Wittman couldn't offer a timetable for the return of Nene, as he told Michael Lee of the Washington Post: "All I do is each morning, I come in, I ask the trainer who I got, who I don’t have. And that’s all I can worry about right now. I write down who I got and we formulate a practice plan and we come out here. And I’ll come back tonight and see who I got and who I don’t got. That’s my update."
Eastern Notes: Nets, Petro, Hinrich, Vesely
We've already covered a few stories out of the Eastern Conference today, including Rashard Lewis' desire to play for five more years, the latest on Rasheed Wallace's timetable with the Knicks, and camp cuts by the Sixers and Cavaliers. Now, let's round up another handful of East-related links….
- In the first episode of NBA TV's "The Association," which debuts next week, Nets GM Billy King says Deron Williams urged him not to wait on Dwight Howard and miss out on other opportunities to improve the roster, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Johan Petro tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld that he wasn't caught off guard by the trade that sent him to the Hawks, though his destination was a bit of a surprise. "I knew Brooklyn was really trying to do something with Deron," Petro said. "I didn’t know half the team would be gone but I knew they were going to try and do something."
- Though it's been two years since he played for the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich is already feeling comfortable again in Chicago, and his teammates, new and old, are glad to have him on board. Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com has the details.
- With Wizards owner Ted Leonsis recently conceding that his team is better equipped to develop its own stars rather than recruit them, Washington will be looking for continued growth from Jan Vesely this season, says Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald examines Dionte Christmas' quest to earn a spot on the Celtics' roster.
Cavaliers Waive Kevin Anderson, Justin Holiday
After opening camp with the maximum allowed 20 players, the Cavaliers have begun to make cuts. The Cavs formally announced today that Kevin Anderson and Justin Holiday have been released, reducing the team's roster to 18 players.
Anderson, a 23-year-old point guard, graduated from Richmond in 2011 and played overseas in France last season. Holiday, the older brother of Sixers point guard Jrue Holiday, graduated from Washington in 2011 and played in Belgium last season.
With Anderson and Holiday off the roster, the Cavs have just one player, Donald Sloan, on a non-guaranteed contract. Daniel Gibson, Micheal Eric, Kevin Jones, and Samardo Samuels are all on partially guaranteed deals.
Sixers Waive Mikki Moore
The 76ers have waived Mikki Moore, the team announced today in a press release. The Sixers also confirmed that Xavier Silas has been released, as Silas himself tweeted yesterday.
Moore was signed by the Sixers at the same time the club announced that Andrew Bynum would be held out for three weeks for "precautionary measures" related to his knees. While it's probably premature to assume Philadelphia's decision to release Moore suggests anything about Bynum's health, it's certainly not a bad sign that the team was willing to cut loose an extra big man already.
With Moore and Silas no longer on the roster, the Sixers are now carrying 16 players. Maalik Wayns, who is on a partial guarantee, looks like the favorite to be the team's 13th man, while Dan Gadzuric, Damien Wilkins, and Devin Searcy will likely fight for the final two roster spots, depending on how many players the Sixers decide to carry.
NBA D-League Approves Santa Cruz Warriors
The NBA D-League has formally approved the relocation of the Warriors' D-League affiliate from Dakota to Santa Cruz, according to a press release. The move had long been expected, since the Warriors bought the D-League franchise a year ago, but had required league approval before it became official. The former Dakota Wizards will play in Santa Cruz starting in the 2012/13 season.
"We’re excited to bring the NBA D-League brand of basketball to Santa Cruz and Northern California," said NBA D-League president Dan Reed in a statement. "The relocation of the team from Bismarck to Santa Cruz further demonstrates the Golden State Warriors’ commitment to developing top young NBA prospects in the NBA D-League. We thank the fans in Bismarck for their support of the team over the last six NBA D-League seasons."
As our list of D-League affiliates for 2012/13 shows, the Warriors are one of 11 NBA teams that has a one-on-one relationship with a D-League franchise for the coming year.