New York Notes: Nets, Humphries, Amare, Knicks
We ran down some news out of the Atlantic in the afternoon, now it's time to zero in on the New York teams..
- After inking a two-year, $24MM deal with the Nets in the offseason, Kris Humphries has been pushed out of the starting lineup and to the bench. Against the Sixers today, Hump was left in his warmups for the entire 48 minutes despite being healthy. The forward admitted that the it bothered him and even though coach Avery Johnson warned him that his minutes would fluctuate, he never expected a DNP – coach's decision, Roderick Boone of Newsday tweets.
- Johnson said that Humphries isn't in the doghouse, tweets Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record (on Twitter). "Basically a coach's decision… He's healthy,he's fine,he's not in the doghouse.We just had to try something else," Johnson said. If Johnson is being diplomatic and Humphries doesn't have a place in the Nets' rotation, one has to think that he could be a valuable trade chip between now and February.
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson still says that Amare Stoudemire won't suit up for the D-League's Erie BayHawks, despite his recent assignment, tweets Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal (on Twitter). The forward worked out with the Knicks affiliate in Westchester, New York in preperation for his on-court return.
- Some have wondered if Stouemire and Carmelo Anthony will be able to play well together this time around, but Anthony has no such concerns, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Wizards To Sign Garrett Temple?
The Wizards signed Shelvin Mack out of the D-League earlier today and they may go back to the well for another guard. Word is that the Wizards are getting ready to ink Garrett Temple of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The 26-year-old has been around the block in his two years of NBA experience, having seen time with the Rockets, Kings, Spurs, Bucks, and Bobcats from 2009/10-2010/11. In parts of four D-League seasons, Temple has averaged 14.5 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 3.6 APG, and 1.2 SPG in 34.8 minutes per contest.
Temple spent the summer with the Heat but wound up being their final roster cut with Terrel Harris, Josh Harrellson, Dexter Pittman, and James Jones all securing spots instead. Temple would have served as extra insurance for guard Mario Chalmers, but Miami felt confident enough in Chalmers’ health to move on without Temple.
Odds & Ends: Cavs, Varejao, Warriors, Fisher
Out in Brooklyn, the Nets are celebrating a 95-92 win over the Sixers. The Nets have kept the edge over Philly thanks in large part to the play of Joe Johnson, who had 22 points off of 8-17 shooting. For a large portion of the game, coach Avery Johnson seemed to call iso plays for the two-guard, daring the Sixers to stop it. For the most part, they were unsuccessful. Here's more from around the Association.
- Bob Finnan of The News-Herald took the Cavaliers to task for over-reliance on young players, and urges them not to trade Anderson Varejao, one of their lone veteran leaders. Varejao's name has popped up frequently in trade rumors as he turns in an extremely strong year for a non-contending team.
- The Warriors' expectations have grown exponentially thanks to their offseason moves and there are bright days ahead in Golden State, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Two additions in particular have helped propel the team to an 18-10 record, according to guard Stephen Curry. “Having the same coaching staff back from last year really helps,” Curry said. “You have some familiarity with the system and day-to-day how the team is going to feel and what to expect from the coaching staff. But also bringing Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry in, and for guys to be able to contribute off the bench and a great draft class, three guys that are contributing right off the bat.”
- Although Derek Fisher only spent 24 days with the Mavericks, coach Rick Carlisle appreciates what he did for the team and commended him for his professional attitude, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Wilcox, Raptors, Bynum
Here's a look at today's news out of the Atlantic..
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers announced that Chris Wilcox will be sidelined for three-to-four weeks with his thumb/wrist injury, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The C's might be forced to find a big man, but it might not happen during their current road trip.
- Rivers more or less shot down the idea of calling up Fab Melo from the D-League, Forsberg tweets. “I haven’t talked to anyone that thinks he’s ready to come up yet," said the coach.
- The Raptors are expected to be one of the most active teams between now and the deadline, and they'll try to trade Andrea Bargnani and Jose Calderon as a package. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld writes that they're targeting a marquee small forward, just as they did over the summer.
- Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com argues the Sixers made the right call in trading for Andrew Bynum, even if Bynum never plays for the team, since last year's squad had reached its ceiling.
Western Notes: Dwight, Fisher, Jack, Maynor
Dwight Howard gave an update on his health to Sam Amick of the USA Today, saying he suffers from tingling and an occasional loss of feeling in his feet, and gave a slight hint about his plans for free agency in the summer, expressing a desire to inherit the team's leadership role from Kobe Bryant.
"But there's going to come a day where he's going to be gone, and that's when I have to step in and fill that void and take this team to the next level," Howard said. "That's why I'm here. That's why they wanted me here, and I'm going to do my job and my part to make sure this team gets there – and it starts with me."
We'll surely hear more from Howard in the coming months, but in the meantime, here's more from the Western Conference.
- When he signed with the Mavs late last month, Derek Fisher had a handshake agreement with owner Mark Cuban that allowed Fisher to leave if he felt he needed to be with family, as he did when he asked Dallas to release him this week. Jeff Caplan of NBA.com has the details. Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles notes via Twitter that there's no family health issue that led Fisher to leave the team.
- Fisher endured a contentious year as president of the player's union, but unless he returns to play in the NBA, it appears his tenure will soon come to an end. Fisher was at odds with other members of the union's executive committee, but as SB Nation's Tom Ziller points out, only four of the nine committee members are still in the league (Twitter link).
- Jarrett Jack is satisfied with his backup role with the Warriors, and isn't putting too much thought into his unrestricted free agency next summer, as he tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld. The point guard also said he anticipated the Hornets would trade this past summer when New Orleans selected Austin Rivers with the 10th overall pick.
- The HoopsWorld scribe also checks in with Thunder point guard Eric Maynor, another point guard set to become a free agent next summer.
Patrick Beverley Expected To Sign With Rockets
Point guard Patrick Beverley is expected to sign with the Rockets after securing his release from the Russian club Spartak St. Petersburg, as first reported by Marco Calise of WorldBasket.com (Twitter link). The deal will run through 2015 and include a guarantee, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops.net. Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports the deal, which is close but not imminent, will likely include team options in 2013/14 and 2014/15. Beverley made reference to the move on Twitter this morning.
"I would like to thank Spartak staff and fans for a great 2 years!! There's no better team in the world!!! I love u all!! And Hello NBA," Beverley wrote.
The Rockets will pay the bulk of Beverley's $600K buyout from Spartak, Varlas reports. NBA teams can pay as much as $550K to buy out an overseas contract. Beverley was taken 42nd overall by the Lakers in the 2009 draft and traded to the Heat the same night. Miami brought him to camp in 2010, but waived him before the start of the regular season. The 2011/12 EuroCup MVP has averaged 11.1 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.3 rebounds per game in Russia this season, numbers that are down from last year.
Houston is at the limit of 15 players on its roster, so the team will have to waive someone to bring Beverley on board. Greg Smith's deal is partially guaranteed for $381K, though he has found a spot in the team's rotation. Scott Machado, whose minimum-salary deal is only guaranteed for $237K, seems more likely to go. The Rockets are already on the hook for guaranteed money to seven players who are no longer on the roster, and that doesn't include Luis Scola, who was amnestied this summer. Beverley is likely to spend time with the Rockets' D-League affiliate once he's signed, according to Feigen.
D-League Moves: Joseph, Bazemore, Tyler
We'll keep track of all the day's D-League transactions here, with the latest news at the top. Catch up on all the D-League comings and goings this season with each assignment and recall listed in this post.
- The Celtics have recalled Kris Joseph from the Maine Red Claws, as Sportando's Emiliano Carchia notes via Twitter. Joseph's return to Boston isn't a surprise, as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com noted when he was sent down yesterday that Joseph expected to travel with the Celtics on their upcoming road trip. Joseph shot just 3-for-16 last night as the Red Claws lost to the Erie BayHawks.
- The Warriors announced they have sent Kent Bazemore and Jeremy Tyler to the D-League Santa Cruz Warriors. Both were sent down for one-day stints earlier this season. Neither has seen meaningful action for Golden State this year, though Tyler started 23 games for the big club as a rookie in 2011/12. Bazemore and Tyler will be around for Santa Cruz's home debut. The D-League team, which had played as the Dakota Wizards before the Warriors purchased the club this year, played its first seven games on the road this season while its arena was under construction.
- The Thunder have recalled Reggie Jackson, DeAndre Liggins and Perry Jones III from the D-League, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). The Thunder have shuttled all three, along with Daniel Orton and Jeremy Lamb, back and forth between Oklahoma City and the Tulsa 66ers this year. Jackson has played particularly well in his time with the 66ers, putting up 28.0 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game in three D-League contests this season, including a 37-point effort last night. Liggins is averaging 11.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 4.8 APG in three games with Tulsa, while Jones has played four D-League contests, posting 11.5 PPG and 5.3 RPG. Only Jackson has seen significant time with the big club, logging more than 24 minutes against the Timberwolves on Thursday.
Mavs Sign Douglas-Roberts, Waive Fisher
SUNDAY, 11:25pm: The Mavs officially announced the signing of Douglas-Roberts, via press release.
SATURDAY, 5:34pm: HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram (via Twitter) acknowledges a source close to the situation that says Fisher will opt for retirement due to the strain on his body and family.
4:44pm: The Mavs have officially waived Fisher, according to a press release from the team. The release does not mention Douglas-Roberts.
4:12pm: Derek Fisher has told the Mavericks he wants them to let him go, and the team is honoring his request and will put him on waivers, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. In his place, the team will sign Chris Douglas-Roberts. The Mavs signed Fisher to a minimum-salary deal in November.
Douglas-Roberts has been averaging 27.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Texas Legends of the D-League, and was widely viewed as the best talent available in that circuit, Stein writes. Texas is the affiliate of the Mavs, and Dallas signed Douglas-Roberts toward the end of training camp and quickly released him so they could retain his affiliate rights, which allowed the Mavs to place him on the Legends.
Fisher started all nine of the games he played with the Mavericks, and according to Stein, the team appealed to him to allow them to find another point guard after he requested the release a few days ago. However, the 6'7" Douglas-Roberts is a shooting guard, not a point guard. Fisher strained his patellar tendon against the Sixers on Tuesday and has missed the team's last two games, but the Mavs don't believe the injury is serious. As Stein writes, Fisher released a statement that said the recovery time from the injury will be about two weeks, and that he wants to return home to be with his family. Fisher, 38, also hinted at retirement.
"I have made decisions in the past, leaving money and opportunity on the table, and I will need to do that again," the statement said. "My family is my priority and that is where I choose to be. I won't close the possibility that I will play again, however for now my family and being close to them remains the priority."
As Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes via Twitter, Fisher's offseason home is in L.A. Stein pointed out earlier this season that Fisher is eligible to sign with the Lakers, who dealt him to the Rockets at the trade deadline last year. The Lakers are reportedly still considering an upgrade to their backcourt, though Fisher, who excelled in the triangle offense, might not be the prototypical point guard coach Mike D'Antoni favors for his up-tempo system.
It was never confirmed whether Fisher's deal was guaranteed, but his statement indicates that he's leaving money on the table, so perhaps the contract was either non-guaranteed or Fisher and the team negotiated a buyout. Otherwise, the Mavs would be on the hook for his salary the rest of the season.
Wolves Rumors: Greene, Anderson, Lee
The Timberwolves have been particularly hard hit by injuries this season. They entered the year knowing Ricky Rubio would still need time to recovery from his knee injury last March, and Kevin Love missed the first nine games of the season with a broken hand. Chase Budinger is slated to miss three months because of knee surgery, and the team waived Josh Howard this week after he tore his ACL. There's yet more news on the team's injury front, as we detail here along with other Wolves rumors.
- Donte Greene is on the shortlist for the the Wolves as they seek someone to replace Josh Howard, tweets Darren Wolfson. Minnesota is unlikely to sign anyone for another week, but the team worked out Lazar Hayward yesterday and has another audition scheduled on Wednesday for James Anderson, Wolfson reports (Twitter link).
- Minnesota will also probably be without guard Malcolm Lee for the balance of the season, though he has yet to decide whether to have surgery to repair the chrondal injury he suffered to his right knee, notes Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
- Wolves GM David Kahn outlined the sort of player he'd like to sign, as Alex Conover of Wolves.com chronicles. "We’ve lost Malcolm — in all likelihood for the season — and we’ve lost Josh, who isn’t here right now," Kahn said. "So when you think of that profile, somebody who is 6'5", 6'6", 6'7", long-armed in Josh’s case, defensive-minded in Malcolm’s case, capable of helping us a little bit offensively in both guys’ case … we’re missing two people, not one. So I think that’s the profile of who we’re looking for. We’ll obviously move reasonably quickly, but we want to be thorough."
Celtics Sign Jarvis Varnado
Monday 10:59am: The team has made the signing official.
Sunday 10:22pm: The Celtics found out earlier today that they'll be without Chris Wilcox for three-to-four weeks, and they wasted little time in finding reinforcements. The C's are set to sign Jarvis Varnado of the D-League's Sioux Falls Skyforce, a league source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter).
Varnado, 24, was taken with the 41st overall pick in the 2010 draft out of Mississippi State. The 6'9" power forward opted to gain some experience overseas in Italy and went to camp with Miami in 2011 and 2012. He was one of the final cuts in Miami this year and might have had a chance at grabbing one of the final roster spots if it weren't for hamstring issues.
In eight games for the Skyforce this year, Varnado has averaged 14.0 PPG, 8.9 RPG, and an eye-popping 4.4 blocks per contest. Varnado is an adept shot blocker thanks in large part to his freakish 7'4" wingspan.