Hoops Links: Bradley, Bucks, Bobcats, Bulls
Yesterday, the Suns announced that they have decided to part ways with coach Alvin Gentry. Phoenix owns the worst record in the Western Conference at 13-28 and team president Lon Babby says that he expected considerably more out of the club in 2012/13. "I think we gave him a team that was better than the way they were playing," Babby said. "But I don't put that all on him. I don't even put the lion's share on him. That's not what this is about. It's not about winning enough games."
While Babby exonerated Gentry from much of the finger pointing, he says point blank that he believes that his team is capable of achieving more as assembled. That's an interesting take, considering that many NBA scribes predicted that the Suns would finish the year in the league cellar. The Suns made a splash over the summer when they signed unrestricted free agent Goran Dragic, but their second-biggest signing in the post-Steve Nash era was troubled forward Michael Beasley. So far, that three-year, $18MM pact has yielded them 9.4 PPG, 3.6 RPG, and a 10.08 PER, good for 50th amongst small forwards. Gentry might not have been the right man for the job, but it's important to remember that he's wasn't the man in charge of filling out the roster. The next time the ax swings in Phoenix, it won't land on the bench.
If you have a great blog piece that you think we should feature next week, then send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here's this week's look around the blogosphere..
- Bleed Green examines the Celtics' bench.
- True Sports Blog previews the February trade deadline.
- The Basketball Post sees the Bucks at a crossroads.
- The NBA Geek presents the all-unsung team.
- Rufus On Fire is skeptical of the Bobcats' rise in attendance.
- Blog A Bull isn't thrilled with Tom Thibodeau's playcalling in the fourth quarter.
- Hardwood Paroxysm talks Gentry.
- Hoops Addict looks at the rebuilding era in Orlando.
- SLC Dunk is pleased with the passing in the Jazz frontcourt.
- Truth About It caught up with Bradley Beal.
- Utah Sports Net sat down with C.J. Miles.
- Bright Side Of The Sun says that change was necessary in Phoenix.
- Celtics Life plays 5-on-5.
- The Brooklyn Game remembers Anthony Morrow's time with the Nets.
- Red94 tries to quantify effort in the NBA.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.
Odds & Ends: Union, Gay, Magic, West, Adelman
It's been quite an evening in the NBA, as a third of the nine games on the docket went to overtime. It was also a rare night when both the Wizards and Bobcats recorded wins. As we wait to find out more about trade candidates and the Suns coaching situation tomorrow, here's the rest of the news from around the Association.
- A day after the release of a report detailing abuses of power by players union executive director Billy Hunter, Nets star Deron Williams called for changes from "top to bottom" in the organization, reports Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler says the Magic aren't interested in Rudy Gay, but wouldn't be surprised to see the team get involved in a trade that sends Gay elsewhere. Orlando's $17.8MM trade exception allows Orlando to get involved as a middleman, as Kyler points out (All Twitter links).
- In a piece that looks back on the Magic's in-season trades from years past, Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel argues that Nikola Vucevic has become the team's No. 1 trade chip and urges the front office to hold on to him.
- David West won't let his impending free agency distract him from his work with the Pacers, as HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy documents via Sulia.
- Wolves coach Rick Adelman won't be returning to the team anytime soon as he continues to tend to his ailing wife, GM David Kahn told reporters, including Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Assistant coach Terry Porter will continue to lead the team in Adelman's stead.
Nets Interested In Paul Millsap?
Though he'll be a unrestriced free agent this summer and has been the subject of frequent trade rumors this season, Paul Millsap isn't eager to leave the Jazz. The team has reportedly been in no rush to trade him or Al Jefferson, but when the deadline comes around, Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets that the power forward could wind up in Brooklyn. Amico hears the Nets may make a play for the seventh-year veteran, though he cautioned that such a move shouldn't be deemed "likely" at this point.
Brooklyn's incumbent power forward, Kris Humphries, has disappointed after re-signing for two years and $24MM this past offseason, and has fallen out of the starting lineup. Earlier this season, the team was reportedly pursuing Ersan Ilyasova, who was the Nets' first choice over the summer before they re-signed Humphries. When Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined Humphries' trade candidacy, he noted reports that suggested the Nets were never all that high on him, so it's reasonable to expect they'd go after another power forward.
If the Nets want an upgrade, they'll probably have to do it via trade, since they're set to have no cap room in the summer. Acquiring Millsap at the deadline could be risky, as he could leave as a free agent, but trading for him would give the Nets his Bird rights, which would allow them to re-sign him despite their lack of space under the cap.
There have been conflicting reports on whether the Jazz are more likely to deal Millsap or Jefferson, both of whom are in the final year of their deals. A month ago, Hoops Rumors readers seemed split on which the Jazz would be better off trading, and a roughly equivalent number said the Jazz should trade them both.
Suns Rumors: Malone, Nash, Gentry, Van Gundy
The news today that the Suns and coach Alvin Gentry decided to part ways didn't register nearly the reaction that coaching changes by the Lakers and Nets did earlier this season. That stands to reason, given that L.A. and Brooklyn are media hubs, but even the end of Scott Skiles' tenure in Milwaukee seemed to have more gravitas than what went down in Phoenix. Last-place teams typically don't generate much press, though, particularly when they're devoid of any notable star. Phoenix has had plenty of stars in the past, though, and one of them weighed in on today's move, as we pass along below with other notes from the Valley of the Sun.
- Rival executives are bringing up Warriors assistant coach Michael Malone's name in connection with the Suns job, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com, who identifies him as a strong candidate for the job this summer (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Steve Nash thinks Gentry's departure from Phoenix could be a positive for his former coach, and Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com believes that speaks volumes about the state of the Suns (Sulia link). The move didn't catch Nash off-guard. "I think the writing's been on the wall," Nash said. "It looks like it to me … They wouldn't extend his contract. They just gave him the year to kind of play it out. It looked like they wanted to get their own guy in there."
- Gentry isn't discouraged by today's events, tweets Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. "I still think I'm a good coach," Gentry said. "I'm at fault, not totally. There were other factors but I'm ultimately responsible as the coach."
- Marcin Gortat seems to be lobbying via Twitter for Stan Van Gundy, who coached the Polish center with the Magic, to take the job in Phoenix, writing "SVG is out there….." shortly after the news broke about Gentry this afternoon (hat tip to Orazio Cauchi of Sportando). Van Gundy said over the summer he still has the itch to coach, but has maintained that he has no interest in the Nets opening.
- The Suns front office expected that the team would compete for a playoff spot this year, but that was a drastic miscalculation from the start, contends Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com (Sulia link).
Bobcats ‘Aggressively’ Pursuing Rudy Gay
The Bobcats have shown committment to a slow rebuild after bottoming out with last year's 7-59 debacle, but according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, they're willing to depart from that strategy for the right player. Apparently, basketball president Rod Higgins and GM Rich Cho are convinced Rudy Gay is the sort of guy for whom they'd be willing to change course, as Kyler reports the Bobcats are one of multiple teams "aggressively" pursuing the Grizzlies small forward (Twitter links).
Kyler notes the 'Cats may not have enough to offer Memphis, which makes sense, since Charlotte has only won two games since November. Still, the Grizzlies would primarily be seeking salary cap relief in any deal involving Gay, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors examined earlier this week. The Bobcats would probably have to come up with some combination of draft picks and young players, and with their own likely lottery selection as well as protected first-rounders from the Pistons and Blazers, Charlotte could offer Memphis plenty of draft help. If they're willing to part with either Kemba Walker and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, along with perhaps Ramon Sessions or Byron Mullens and a few throw-ins to make the salaries match, that might be enough for a reasonable proposal. Gay has $53.67MM remaining on his deal, including this season, so the Bobcats and just about anyone else would have to give up at least a few key components to bring him on board, as Kyler suggests via Twitter.
Of course, the Grizzlies have no shortage of suitors for Gay. Chad Ford of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, today mentioned the Wizards, Clippers, Magic and Mavs as teams with interest, and other teams have been linked to him as well over the past few weeks. Ford surmises that offers for Gay will be better as the deadline approaches, but ultimately the Grizzlies are in control. It's up to CEO Jason Levien, GM Chris Wallace and the rest of the Grizzlies retooled front office to decide whether it wants to deal with Gay's luxury tax implications now or after the season, and Gay's teammates would prefer that he stays put. The Grizzlies aren't active in talks at the moment, and unless the Bobcats or another team comes up with a truly enticing offer, the Grizzlies players may get their wish of having one more shot at the title together.
Northwest Notes: Nene, McGee, Miles
The Thunder have an eight-game lead on the Nuggets in the Northwest Division, but that says more about Oklahoma City's brilliance this season than it does about their competition in the Northwest. It's the only division with four teams above .500. The Timberwolves, at 16-20, might be a winning team, too, if not for all their injuries. Before news broke that the league will allow Minnesota to sign an extra player to compensate, we rounded up several Wolves rumors. Now we'll do the same for a couple of their Northwest Division rivals.
- Nuggets coach George Karl said last year's trade of Nene Hilario "had to be made," explaining that, among other factors, the team needed him to be more assertive, as Michael Lee of the Washington Post details. "The situation came down to, when you’re reshaping a team, it’s better to go younger and that’s the choice management made and I was supportive of that," Karl also said.
- JaVale McGee was the younger player the Nuggets received in that deal, and in a separate piece, Lee rounds up Karl's comments about what JaVale McGee needs to do to earn minutes in line with the team's expectations after signing him to a $44MM deal this summer.
- Cavs small forward C.J. Miles said over the summer that comments he made suggesting a disconnect between Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin and his players were taken out of context. As he prepares to face his former team, Miles added that he has "nothing but love" for his former boss. Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal has the story.
Kings/Seattle Rumors: Friday
Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com argues that while the city of Sacramento faces an uphill battle to keep the Kings, there's also a fair amount of pressure on the group of prospective owners from Seattle. The Kings are the only NBA team on the market for the foreseeable future, and though an NHL team may be obtained for a cheaper price, the Seattle investors, led by Chris Hansen and Howard Ballmer, would prefer a basketball team as the anchor tenant for their arena. That gives the Maloofs leverage to inflate their asking price as Sacramento prepares its counteroffer, Howard-Cooper surmises.
We've got more on Sacramento's bid right here:
- Ron Burkle, the supermarket mogul whose involvement in a push for the Kings two years ago angered the Maloof brothers, is one of two significant investors in the plan Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson is organizing to keep the team in town, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. Fitness company founder Mark Mastrov is the other money man involved.
- In the same piece, Amick passes along commissioner David Stern's acknowledgement that he's been in contact with the Seattle group, even though he's unaware of any sale agreement between those investors and the Maloofs.
- Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee notes that Johnson is also trying to get local business leaders to join a bid for the team as minority partners.
Odds & Ends: Raptors, Grizzlies, Mavs, Bynum
As we look forward to an evening slate that includes a pair of contests between Eastern Conference contenders (Hawks/Nets and Bulls/Celtics), let's check in on a few odds and ends from around the NBA….
- Appearing on Sportsnet 590 The Fan in Toronto yesterday, Raptors coach Dwane Casey said no trades are imminent for the team, but that he, president Bryan Colangelo, and executive VP Ed Stefanski talk about potential moves "every day." Kevin Nielsen has the quotes from Casey at Sportsnet.ca.
- Mike Conley tells Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld that he hopes the trade rumors surrounding the Grizzlies don't amount to anything, since it would "hit us all hard" if anyone was dealt.
- In a pair of Insider-only pieces for ESPN.com, Chad Ford examines 10 potential trade candidates, and breaks down some draft options for the Bobcats.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News suggests that finding a legit point guard is one of the Mavericks' top priorities, and says Jose Calderon wouldn't be a bad trade target for the team.
- For the first time this season, there appears to be serious progress happening in Andrew Bynum's recovery, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com (Insider link) tries to find the most logical fit for Josh Smith, should the Hawks decide to trade him.
Heat Assign Dexter Pittman To D-League
We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any further moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Heat have assigned Dexter Pittman back to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, the team announced today in a press release. It'll be Pittman's second stint this season in the D-League, where he's averaged 12.0 PPG and 8.5 RPG in 10 contests. Pittman had been recalled from Sioux Falls before last night's game to provide frontcourt depth for the Heat, but didn't see any action.
NBA Coaches With Expiring Contracts In 2012/13
As Marc Stein of ESPN.com pointed out on Twitter today after the Suns announced that they've parted ways with Alvin Gentry, the Phoenix coach was one of eight NBA head coaches that entered the 2012/13 season on the final years of their respective contracts. With the help of Stein's Twitter feed, here's a look at how those eight coaches have fared this season:
- Tyrone Corbin (Jazz): Just as the regular season got underway, the Jazz officially exercised their 2013/14 option on Corbin, extending his contract by one year.
- Vinny Del Negro (Clippers): Off to a fantastic 31-9 start to the season with the Clippers, Del Negro is making a strong case for a contract extension, as Sam Amick of USA Today wrote last month.
- Larry Drew (Hawks): While Danny Ferry publicly threw his support behind Drew earlier this season, it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Hawks' new GM bring in his own guy for the job next season, particularly if Atlanta is one-and-done in the playoffs.
- Alvin Gentry (Suns): The Suns parted ways with Gentry earlier today.
- Lionel Hollins (Grizzlies): Like Drew in Atlanta, Hollins may become the victim of a changing of the guard in Memphis. New ownership and new front-office members are in place, and Hollins' recent criticisms of advanced metrics suggests he may not be on exactly the same page as the new group, which includes former ESPN.com scribe John Hollinger.
- Avery Johnson (Nets): The Nets fired Johnson last month, despite the team's 14-14 record. Although Brooklyn has been thriving under P.J. Carlesimo since the change, it still seemed a little premature at the time — in a Hoops Rumors poll, nearly 80% of respondents said the Nets shouldn't have let go of Johnson.
- Scott Skiles (Bucks): Skiles and the Bucks agreed to part ways earlier this month.
- Frank Vogel (Pacers): The Pacers, who are leading the Central Division despite having been without Danny Granger all season, extended Vogel's contract last Monday.