Pacific Notes: Bogut, Gasol, Kings, Virginia Beach
Microfracture surgery carries a worrisome stigma for NBA players, with guys like Penny Hardaway, Chris Webber, and Greg Oden having undergone the procedure on their knees in the past. However, in revealing that Andrew Bogut underwent microfracture surgery on his ankle this year, Marcus Thompson of the Contra Costa Times cautions that Bogut's situation is different.
According to Thompson, the microfracture aspect wasn't the major part of Bogut's surgery, and simply addressed a "minor" cartilage issue. The original timetable for Bogut's return took into account the procedure, and while the Warriors had hoped that timetable had accelerated, the big man's latest setback suggests he won't be back at full strength until 2013.
Here are a few more notes from around the Pacific Division:
- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni scoffed at speculation that Pau Gasol isn't a fit for his system, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News details. "I don't see how a player as smart as he is, as talented as he is and efficient as he is, doesn't fit in anybody's schemes," D'Antoni said. "I got to reevaluate myself if I can't play with Pau Gasol. Come on. He's won two championships."
- Tyreke Evans is off to a good start in a new role for the Kings, and coach Keith Smart doesn't believe the strides Evans has made are the result of his playing for a contract. Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee has the details.
- According to WAVY-TV 10 sports director Bruce Rader, plans for a new arena in Virginia Beach have taken another step forward. Rader reports that Virginia Beach mayor Will Sessoms will ask city council for permission to request $150MM from the state of Virginia to help with construction costs and relocation costs for a professional sports team, which Rader assumes will be the Sacramento Kings.
- Tom Ziller of Sactown Royalty provides his own take on the Virginia Beach news, noting that even if all of Rader's details are accurate, there are still plenty of roadblocks the project must overcome.
Odds & Ends: Gasol, World Cup, Wizards, Freeland
With the NBA season four weeks old tonight, it's no surprise the Heat sit on top of the Eastern Conference standings. The Grizzlies, Spurs and Thunder aren't shockers atop the West, but two teams coming off their first meeting, not to mention eventful offseasons, share the fifth-best record in the league: the Knicks and the Nets. As we wait to see how the rest of the season plays out, here's the latest from around the league.
- Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni brushed off Pau Gasol trade talk, saying, "That definitely doesn’t come from us," notes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Sulia link).
- Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun believes both Gasol and the Lakers could benefit from a trade.
- In no surprise, an NBA spokesperson said the league has no plans to take in-season breaks to accomodate the new qualifying schedule for the basketball World Cup, tweets ESPN's Alvaro Martin.
- HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy wonders if it's time for the Wizards to let go of coach Randy Wittman, and wouldn't be surprised to see the team make a deal at the trade deadline.
- Joel Freeland has gone from contending for the starting center job to out of the rotation, and while the British big man is frustrated, Blazers coach Terry Stotts remains optimistic, as The Oregonian's Joe Freeman chronicles.
- The Bulls' bench is a poor match for Tom Thibodeau, and demonstrates a disconnect between the coach and the front office, writes David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune. Still, Thibodeau isn't calling for any changes, as fellow Tribune scribe K.C. Johnson observes.
- Just as Tyreke Evans regressed following his Rookie of the Year campaign, Isaiah Thomas finds himself the odd man out of the Kings rotation a year after his impressive rookie season, notes Jim Cavan of The New York Times.
Texas Rumors: Harden, White, Duncan, Spurs
There are only five games on the NBA schedule tonight, but two of them involve Texas teams. The Mavericks fell on the road to the Sixers, while the Rockets hope to close out a win against the Raptors. The Lonestar State's other team, the Spurs, have the most wins in the NBA, but find themselves in an odd situation atop the Southwest Division standings — San Antonio, at 12-3, is a half game up on the 10-2 Grizzlies, but Memphis is technically in first place, thanks to a higher winning percentage. That math will eventually sort itself out once the teams have played an even number of games, but until then, here's the latest on all three Texas clubs.
- Kevin Martin, who traded places with James Harden before the start of the season, talked about what Harden's going through as he takes over as the No. 1 option for the Rockets, as Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman chronicles.
- With Harden set to return to Oklahoma City wearing a Rockets uniform tomorrow, writers from The Oklahoman weigh in on four Harden-related questions.
- Psychologist and former NBA team consultant Travis Heath, writing for HoopsWorld, shares his insight on the Royce White saga, calling for all teams to take a more proactive approach to mental health.
- Armed with a new three-year, $30MM contract, Tim Duncan is turning back the clock with his play for the Spurs, as USA Today's Scott Gleeson examines.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel looks at the wide-reaching influence of the Spurs front office.
- Sixers coach Doug Collins had kind words for his former pupil Elton Brand, whom the Mavs claimed off amnesty waivers from the Sixers this summer, as Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com tweets. "I wish I could've coached Elton one year in his prime," Collins said. "We miss him. EB is all about winning."
Sefko On Mavs, Jefferson, Beaubois, Finley, Mayo
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News frequently dips into his mailbag to answer reader questions, and today's responses are especially full of relevant info. He looks ahead to trades and free agent signings the Mavs could pursue over the next 12 months, and sizes up the return on some of the moves the team made this past summer. We'll round up the highlights here:
- It's "very likely" the Mavs will be involved in a swap before the trade deadline, but nothing will go down before December 15th, when free agents who signed this summer become eligible to be traded. Whatever happens, it's unlikely to be a "monster deal," according to Sefko, who mentions Rodrigue Beaubois as a likely trade candidate.
- Sefko thinks the Mavs have interest in upcoming free agent Al Jefferson, despite his high price tag, believing he'd be a much more appealing target for the team than Josh Smith.
- Sefko doesn't believe owner Mark Cuban was sincere when he said he wants to keep all of the team's new additions, and thinks the future of the team's coterie of guys on one-year contracts is up in the air.
- Michael Finley had been working in the Mavs front office before his latest comeback attempt, but Sefko doesn't see a place for him on the playing roster.
- O.J. Mayo's move from the Grizzlies to the Mavs has worked out well for both teams so far, Sefko observes.
- It's unclear whether the Suns want to put Marcin Gortat on the market, but if they do, Sefko believes it would take a package of Mayo, Jae Crowder, and draft picks for the Mavs to land him.
Pacific Notes: Bogut, Clippers, Lakers
For all their struggles this season, the 7-7 Lakers are just a game out of first place in the Pacific Division, behind the Clippers and Warriors, who are tied at 8-6. We're still less than a month into the season, but the Clippers, who've lost four in a row, may wind up ruing their inability to keep their Staples Center rivals at arm's length. We've got both L.A. teams covered, plus more, as we round up the Pacific.
- Andrew Bogut won't return as planned on Saturday, and the Warriors center isn't sure when he'll play again, writes Carl Steward of the Bay Area News Group. Bogut thinks it was probably a mistake to rush his recovery from left ankle surgery so he could make it back for the start of the season. He played in four games before his latest absence.
- The relationship between Chris Paul and coach Vinny Del Negro, both in the final seasons of their contracts, could ride on the Clippers' ability to quickly return to winning, opines Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks have helped the Lakers' bench improve, but Jamison's play has come at the cost of minutes for fellow offseason signee Jordan Hill, notes Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- We're in the midst of covering the Pacific Division in our Offseason In Review series, hitting the Warriors today with the rest of the division's teams to follow.
NBA Training Camp Cuts On D-League Rosters
Dozens of players were let go at the end of NBA training camps last month, and while some of them have signed overseas, many resurfaced Friday on D-League opening-night rosters. In fact, for a few, that seemed to be the plan all along. The Spurs, Timberwolves and Celtics quietly signed players toward the end of the preseason with the purpose of gaining their "affiliate rights," or the right to protect them from the D-League draft. Teams can protect as many as three training camp cuts for their affiliates, though the Cavs and Warriors managed to wind up with four former training camp invitees on their respective D-League teams.
Note that the players below are no longer on NBA rosters, unlike guys who've simply been assigned to the D-League. Some of the players listed were with multiple NBA teams in camp this fall, but we'll go with their latest NBA team here. If you notice any omissions, please let us know.
Spurs
- *JaMychal Green, Austin Toros
- Tyler Wilkerson, Austin Toros
- Wesley Witherspoon, Austin Toros
Grizzlies
- Kyle Weaver, Austin Toros
- D.J. Kennedy, Erie BayHawks
- Jarrid Famous, Los Angeles D-Fenders
Jazz
- Brian Butch, Bakersfield Jam
- Darnell Jackson, Reno Bighorns
Nets
- Stephen Dennis, Bakersfield Jam
- James Mays, Springfield Armor
- Carleton Scott, Springfield Armor
Hawks
- Keith Benson, Erie BayHawks
- Damion James, Bakersfield Jam
- Isma'il Muhammad, Bakersfield Jam
Raptors
- Jerel McNeal, Bakersfield Jam
Cavaliers
- Kevin Anderson, Canton Charge
- D'Aundray Brown, Canton Charge
- Micheal Eric, Canton Charge
- Kevin Jones, Canton Charge
Knicks
- Oscar Bellfield, Erie BayHawks
- Henry Sims, Erie BayHawks
- Mychel Thompson, Erie BayHawks
Trail Blazers
- Demonte Harper, Eric BayHawks
Rockets
- JaJuan Johnson, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Kyle Fogg, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
- Demetri McCamey, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Thunder
- Walker Russell, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Andy Rautins, Tulsa 66ers
- Hollis Thompson, Tulsa 66ers
Magic
- Justin Harper, Idaho Stampede
- Chris Johnson, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Blazers
- Justin Holiday, Idaho Stampede
- Coby Karl, Idaho Stampede
- Dallas Lauderdale, Idaho Stampede
Timberwolves
- Seth Tarver, Idaho Stampede
- Phil Jones, Los Angeles D-Fenders
- *Troy Hudson, Sioux Falls Skyforce
- *Demetris Nichols, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Bucks
- Mustapha Farrakhan, Iowa Energy
- Orien Greene, Los Angeles D-Fenders
Hornets
- Dominique Morrison, Iowa Energy
- Chris Wright, Iowa Energy
Clippers
- Courtney Fortson, Los Angeles D-Fenders
- Travis Leslie, Santa Cruz Warriors
Wizards
- Shelvin Mack, Maine Red Claws
Sixers
- Xavier Silas, Maine Red Claws
Celtics
- Micah Downs, Maine Red Claws
- *Brian Cusworth, Maine Red Claws
Raptors
- Chris Wright, Maine Red Claws
Heat
- Garrett Temple, Reno Bighorns
- Jarvis Varnado, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Bobcats
- Jeff Adrien, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Warriors
- Carlon Brown, Santa Cruz Warriors
- Lance Goulbourne, Santa Cruz Warriors
- Stefhon Hannah, Santa Cruz Warriors
- Rick Jackson, Santa Cruz Warriors
Lakers
- Andrew Goudelock, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Kings
- Willie Reed, Springfield Armor
Nuggets
- Ben Uzoh, Springfield Armor
Magic
- Christian Eyenga, Texas Legends
Mavericks
- Chris Douglas-Roberts, Texas Legends
- Melvin Ely, Texas Legends
*-signed so the NBA team could retain his affiliate rights
Odds & Ends: Gooden, Aldridge, Gasol, Bulls
With most of the Bench Mob gone, this year's version of the Bulls isn't built for 48 minutes, opines Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. However, Luol Deng seems to disagree with that view, as he told reporters today.
"It's not fair to the guys that are here, the new guys, to be compared to the guys from the last two years," Deng said, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. "They’re still getting used to it. Even the Bench Mob, the first year we had them, it took a while to get going. When we got going, it clicked. The year after that, last year, what helped us a lot was we had a lot of guys returning so we knew how we play and how to play with each other. We’re still learning how to play with each other."
Here are a few more Tuesday afternoon odds and ends from around the NBA:
- While the Bucks would like to move Drew Gooden's contract, there's no urgency to "dump" him, since he's still a mentor and leader in Milwaukee, says Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
- Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com makes his case for why the Trail Blazers should consider trading LaMarcus Aldridge. Blazers GM Neil Olshey reportedly told Aldridge last month that the team has no intentions of dealing him.
- Although Pau Gasol has a 15% trade kicker, he'd actually only receive about a 3.4% bonus if the Lakers dealt him, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times explains.
- Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman believes Derrick Williams could be a realistic target for the Thunder if GM Sam Presti gets involved on the trade market again this season.
- Several NBA scouts told Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that it's unfair to compare Kentucky freshman and potential 2013 No. 1 pick Nerlens Noel to former Wildcat Anthony Davis. "I think Anthony Davis’s IQ is so high that he’s unique that way," said one scout. "This is a guy that was a small player, a two guard, who could handle the ball, do all those things. I mean, Nerlens could never be a ball-handler. He’s not a passer, ball-handler guy."
Offseason In Review: Golden State Warriors
Hoops Rumors is in the process of looking back at each team's offseason, from the end of the playoffs in June right up until opening night. Trades, free agent signings, draft picks, contract extensions, option decisions, camp invitees, and more will be covered, as we examine the moves each franchise made over the last several months.
Signings
- Carl Landry: Two years, $8MM. Signed via mid-level exception. Second year is player option.
- Brandon Rush: Two years, $8MM. Signed via Bird rights. Second year is player option.
- Kent Bazemore: Two years, $1.26MM. Signed via minimum salary exception. First year is partially guaranteed. Second year is non-guaranteed.
Extensions
Trades and Claims
- Acquired Jarrett Jack from the Hornets in exchange for Dorell Wright (sent to 76ers).
Draft Picks
- Harrison Barnes (Round 1, 7th overall). Signed via rookie exception.
- Festus Ezeli (Round 1, 30th overall). Signed via rookie exception.
- Draymond Green (Round 2, 35th overall). Signed via mid-level exception.
- Ognjen Kuzmic (Round 2, 52nd overall). Will play overseas.
Camp Invitees
- Carlon Brown
- Lance Goulbourne
- Stefhon Hannah
- Rick Jackson
- Tarence Kinsey
Departing Players
Rookie Contract Option Decisions
- Klay Thompson, $2.32MM: Exercised
Like the Bucks, whose offseason we reviewed over the weekend, the Warriors entered the summer having already made their blockbuster move of 2012. In fact, the Bucks were Golden State's trading partner back in March when both teams decided to part ways with longtime centerpieces. Monta Ellis headed for Milwaukee, with the Warriors landing a potential All-Star center in Andrew Bogut.
The move was certainly not the safe play for the Warriors. Ellis was an established 20 PPG scorer in a league where those players are rare. Golden State also hard to give up a young big with upside, Ekpe Udoh, to finalize the deal. The biggest concern of all though was Bogut's health — recovering from a broken ankle when the trade was made, Bogut didn't even see the floor for the Warriors in 2011/12.
For a team whose star player, Stephen Curry, was already dealing with ankle injuries, acquiring another potentially injury-prone star actually helped the Warriors in the short-term. Golden State's finish in the spring of 2012 was so dismal that the club lucked into the No. 7 overall pick in the draft lottery, ensuring that the top-seven-protected selection wouldn't be sent to the Jazz.
In the long-term? Bogut's injury woes are a bit more concerning. His surgically repaired ankle is still giving him trouble, and while Andrew Bynum's knee problems in Philadelphia are receiving more media attention and coverage, the situation with Bogut in Golden State is somewhat similar. The former first overall pick is under contract for an additional year, through 2014, but after suffering multiple major injuries throughout his career, there are questions about how much production the Warriors will ultimately receive from Bogut.
Still, like the pre-Bynum Sixers, the Warriors weren't on their way to becoming an elite team with Ellis leading the way, so even if Bogut doesn't pan out, the trade represented a worthwhile risk for Golden State. For teams that don't attract big-name free agents or luck their way into superstars in the draft, a certain number of gambles are necessary in order to try to build a championship contender. The Warriors were likely operating under that mindset when they reached a surprise extension agreement with Curry just before the Halloween deadline.
The years and dollars for Curry, four years at $44MM, are sizable considering the trouble the sharpshooter has had staying on the court. Still, if he had remained healthy through 2012/13, there could easily have been max-salary offers awaiting Curry in restricted free agency next summer. As such, the Warriors' decision to lock him up represents another calculated gamble, with the team doubling down on injury risks and moving forward with Curry and Bogut at its core.
With or without those two stars on the court, this team has plenty of talent from top to bottom. Klay Thompson was one of the most impressive rookies in the NBA last season, and was a popular pick to take another step forward and be the league's Most Improved Player this season. The aforementioned seventh overall pick that the team managed to keep turned into Harrison Barnes, who is already playing significant minutes for the club and could turn into a mainstay at the three spot. David Lee is overpaid and isn't a strong defender, but he's certainly a capable scorer and rebounder at the four.
The Warriors also made a series of offseason moves to bring in veteran help to complement a starting lineup that's talented but injury-prone. Carl Landry's two-year, $8MM deal was one of my favorite signings of the summer, and should work out well for the Warriors even if Landry opts out of the second year next summer. Brandon Rush's identical two-year contract also looked like a coup for the Warriors, though Rush suffered an early-season ACL injury that will keep him out for the season.
Golden State's only trade of the summer was a minor one, with the Warriors sending Dorell Wright to the Sixers in a deal that landed them Jarrett Jack. I like Wright, but with Barnes and Rush on board, there weren't going to be enough minutes to go around. And Jack was exactly the sort of player the team needed — a tough veteran who will provide insurance at the point and is more than capable of starting if Curry has to miss time.
With players like Curry, Thompson, and Barnes still in the developmental stages, the Warriors aren't on the verge of contending for a title this season. However, the roster is well-constructed enough that even relatively good health should put Golden State in position to fight for a postseason berth. The team is rolling the dice by building around players with injury histories like Curry and Bogut, but those sort of gambles are sometimes necessary to acquire and retain elite talent. Now it's just a matter of waiting to see whether those gambles pay off.
Western Notes: Bell, Lakers, Rockets, Jackson
As we prepare for an evening that includes at least one Western Conference team in every game on the NBA schedule, let's round up a few notes from out west:
- Raja Bell's camp indicates the veteran forward would love to end up with the Lakers, but there's a long way to go before that's a real possibility, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
- In his latest column for Grantland.com, Zach Lowe examines the Sixers' acquisition of Andrew Bynum and notes that if Philadelphia had decided not to facilitate August's Dwight Howard blockbuster to land Bynum, it could have had a huge impact on a number of Western Conference teams. Lowe suggests the Magic may have traded Howard to the Rockets instead, which would not only have affected the Lakers, but also the Thunder, since James Harden wouldn't have been sent to Houston in that scenario.
- Appearing on Slate's Hang Up and Listen podcast, Rockets GM Daryl Morey discussed Jeremy Lin, Royce White, and Houston's need to gamble on high-upside players.
- Brian Shaw, a current Pacers assistant and former member of Phil Jackson's staff in Los Angeles, was surprised the Lakers didn't hire Jackson to replace Mike Brown. And as he told Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times, Shaw was particularly taken aback by the Lakers' handling of the situation. "Under the circumstances," Shaw said. "Phil Jackson, who's been there and done that and put a lot of money in everybody's pockets around here, the way it was done… it's mind-boggling."
Grizzlies Assign Tony Wroten To D-League
The Grizzlies have assigned Tony Wroten to their D-League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. Wroten will join the Reno Bighorns of the NBADL.
Wroten, the 25th overall pick in this June's draft, hasn't cracked the Grizzlies' rotation in the first few weeks of the season, appearing in just three contests for Memphis. He has yet to record his first basket in an NBA regular-season game.
The Bighorns are shared as a D-League affiliate by three NBA teams — the Grizzlies, Kings, and Jazz. So far, the Kings have assigned Tyler Honeycutt to Reno, while Kevin Murphy was assigned to the Bighorns just yesterday by the Jazz. For a complete list of this year's assignments and recalls, be sure to check out our tracker.