Odds & Ends: Timberwolves, Murray, Bucks
- Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com wonders if it may be time for the 76ers to make a drastic move the way Brooklyn did in order to right their ship. Although firing Doug Collins may not be the answer, dealing Thaddeus Young might be a painful-but-necessary move worth considering.
- Several months removed from telling the Hornets that he wanted to be in Phoenix, Eric Gordon is ready and willing to take on the leadership role expected from him in New Orleans (Steve Kyler of USA Today reports).
- Ronald Murray has signed with Azovmash Mariupol of the Ukraine, according to Basket-Planet.com (credit goes to HoopsHype for the translation). The 6'3 guard's resume includes an eight-year stint in the NBA from 2002 to 2010, last playing for the Bulls and subsequently the Bobcats during the 2009-10 season.
- Zach Lowe of Grantland explains why Scott Skiles was not the Bucks' main problem and looks into the bigger decisions ahead with regards to the futures of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings. Lowe mentions that if Ellis decides to opt-out this summer, Milwaukee could have max-level cap room to work with at that point.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside examines Demetris Nichols and Sean Evans, two former standouts from New York colleges who have started to make some waves in the D-League. Schlosser thinks that both have shown some characteristics of being possible contributors in the NBA.
- Emilio Carchiano from Sportando.net notes that Gary Forbes has officially signed a deal with Atleticos de San German.
Bulls Aren’t Looking To Deal Hamilton
According to Joe Cowley of the Chicago-Sun Times, Richard Hamilton is considered to be an important part of the Bulls' plans and won't initiate including him in trade talks. The former UConn product can credit his relationship with coach Tom Thibodeau's firm belief that the 6'7 veteran shooting guard will provide the requisite leadership needed during the second half of the season and in the playoffs.
Aside from a foot injury that has sidelined him for 12 of the team's 32 games played so far, the 34-year-old has put up 12.4 PPG while shooting 39.1% from three-point range and 89.4% from the line, both significant increases from his first season with the Bulls in 2011-12. Cowley adds that the team has played very well as of late, going 5-1 over the last six games since Hamilton's return to the lineup.
GM Gar Forman put the kibosh on the idea that Chicago had been looking to shed Hamilton's $5MM contract in order to avoid going over the league's hard cap, even suggesting that the team could look to add another player for cheap if needed.
Sefko On Howard, Trade Targets, Chemistry
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW answered questions from fans on Tuesday about the current state of the Mavericks among other rumors. Here are some of the more noteworthy topics of discussion from his chat:
- Three centers that should be on the team's list of targets this summer include Al Jefferson, Andrew Bynum, and Dwight Howard. He also thinks that either Paul Millsap and/or Jefferson are destined to be dealt from the Jazz, and that the Mavericks' projected draft position at this point could garner a high enough pick to offer for one of Utah's big men.
- From the above list, the team should still have a shot at landing Howard, depending on if the Lakers continue to struggle.
- Jose Calderon will be in very high demand near the trade deadline and should be on Dallas' radar. While he hasn't heard anything with regard to Devin Harris being on the trade block in Atlanta, Sefko notes that the former Mavericks player is in the last-year of his deal and would instantly become the team's starter if they were to somehow acquire him.
- Despite the team's struggles at this point in the season, there doesn't seem to be any serious issues in the locker room. He also thinks that Rick Carlisle has the ability to keep the team from splintering.
- Considering that players picked up off of amnesty last summer can't be traded this year, it's one reason to advocate an increased role for Elton Brand.
Central Notes: Skiles, Pistons, Vogel
One day after the mutual decision to sever ties with the Bucks, Scott Skiles was quick to shoot down a rumor that he "hated his team." Charles F. Gardner of JS Online drew more comments from the former-Milwaukee coach, who also implied that his phone has been "blowing up" regarding opportunities but would like to enjoy some of the time off he has right now. Todd Rosiak (also of the Journal-Sentinel) explored Skiles' departure from his former players' perspective, namely Larry Sanders, Luc Mbah a Moute, rookie John Henson, and Brandon Jennings, who admitted he was a bit frustrated about how he found out about the news – from Skiles first and not the team. With that aside, here are more news and notes from the Central Division tonight:
- With four consecutive drafts in which the Pistons have taken five current rotation players, there is optimism that GM Joe Dumars and his scouts have the right mindset and wherewithal to continue building the team toward a return to prominence (Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports).
- Fresh off agreeing to what is most likely a multi-year contract extension yesterday, Frank Vogel expressed optimism and determination in the direction of the Pacers' franchise (ESPN report via the Associated Press).
- Mike Wells of IndyStar.com briefly explores Vogel's appreciation for the assistants on his coaching staff and mentioned Dominic McGuire's task of learning the team's offense as quickly as possible.
Rudy Gay Rumors: Tuesday
9:19pm: The Cavaliers would appear to be an ideal trading partner considering the amount of cap space, draft picks, and young talent they have, but the Grizzlies have not had any discussions with them about Gay nor would they likely be interested in what Cleveland would be willing to concede (Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio reports).
6:25pm: Matt Moore of CBS Sports writes that the Grizzlies are said to only be interested in a salary dump and view draft picks as the only value return.
4:37pm: The Kings and Celtics are other teams that have had conversations with the Grizzlies about Gay, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Kennedy also points out that the Rockets and Raptors have shown interest in Gay in the past, and are candidates to re-enter the mix.
12:37pm: The Warriors also engaged in preliminary discussions with the Grizzlies about Gay, but talks didn't go anywhere, reports Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group. The Warriors like Gay, but the Grizzlies aren't interested in taking on any of Golden State's bad contracts (ie. Richard Jefferson), and the Warriors likely don't have the combination of young players and draft picks that Memphis is seeking, according to Thompson.
Zach Lowe of Grantland reported last week that the Warriors had "long coveted" Gay, but said they didn't seem to be a good match as a trade partner for the Grizzlies.
Phil Jackson Has No Plans Of Coaching Again
7:37pm: According to Howard Beck of the New York Times, friends close to Phil say that while they aren't sure if he'll coach again, it's not something they would rule out. They also believe that the only way to entice Jackson out of retirement would be a situation in which he sees nothing less than a "path to the championship" (Twitter links).
7:17pm: Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com reports that Phil Jackson has no interest in returning to the NBA to coach, which quells any notion of the 67-year-old replacing P.J. Carlesimo on the Nets for now. Jackson gave an exclusive statement, saying: "I have no intention of ever coaching again.” Regardless, Sheridan believes Jackson's admittance to be more of a hedge and anticipates that the 11-time champion guru will still be contacted by teams in the future.
Interestingly enough, Jackson's words had no implication on whether or not he'd be open to joining a team in another capacity. In that case, Sheridan thinks that the Nets could thrust themselves back into the radar if they were to offer a top executive job.
This season, there have been ample rumblings of a potential comeback. In November, Jackson had been strongly linked to the Lakers before being turned away in favor of Mike D'Antoni. After Avery Johnson's exit in Brooklyn, the former New York Knick player had widely been reported to be the Nets' top target. According to Sheridan, Jackson did not elaborate on nor address Brooklyn's efforts to try to lure him to their organization either. It is also mentioned that as recently as today, the Zen Master was still drawing interest and that another team had recently been in touch to inquire about his availability.
Knicks Interested In Kenyon Martin
Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports report that the Knicks are beginning to show interest in signing veteran power forward Kenyon Martin. Both credit sources that say the 6'9 big man is open to playing on a 10-day contract in order to showcase his value to the Knicks. The renewed interest in Martin comes from the need for more frontcourt help as Rasheed Wallace continues to deal with a foot injury. Wallace's injury status is considered to be the "critical piece" in New York's pursuit of Martin, writes Wojnarowski and Spears.
The former number one overall draft pick out of Cincinnati last played for the Clippers during the 2011-12 lockout-shortened season, averaging 5.2 PPG, 4.3 RPG, and 1.0 BPG in 40 games along with 44.1% shooting from the field in 22.4 MPG.
With New York's roster currently at 15, the team would have to find a way to open up a spot in order to bring Martin on board.
T-Wolves Re-Sign Lazar Hayward
5:05pm: The team has officially signed Hayward to a 10-day contract, according to Mark Remme of NBA.com.
12:00pm: The Timberwolves are expected to re-sign Lazar Hayward to a 10-day contract, assuming he clears waivers later today, reports Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune (via Twitter). Hayward was released by the Wolves on Sunday.
Hayward, who was playing on a non-guaranteed deal, was cut before his contract became guaranteed for the season. The T-Wolves will have the option of keeping him around for 20 more days (two 10-day contracts) before deciding whether or not they want to sign him for the remainder of the season.
The 26-year-old, who was acquired by the Timberwolves on draft night in 2010, was traded to the Thunder before the 2011/12 season, and then sent to the Rockets in the James Harden deal before the 2012/13 season. The Wolves scooped Hayward back up after he was released by the Rockets.
Players Whose Contracts Became Guaranteed
For players on non-guaranteed contracts, yesterday represented one of the most important dates on the NBA calendar. Since contracts become guaranteed for the season on Thursday, teams were required to waive non-guaranteed players on Monday, allowing them to clear waivers on Wednesday, to avoid committing to rest-of-season salaries.
While many players were released, those players who survived the cut will now receive full-season salaries for 2012/13. Their teams can, of course, still choose to waive them, but the clubs would be on the hook for the players' full salaries.
Here are the players whose contracts will officially become guaranteed on Thursday, along with their respective teams and their '12/13 salaries:
Kyle Korver (Hawks, $5,000,000)
Daniel Gibson (Cavaliers, $4,792,332)
Jamaal Tinsley (Jazz, $1,352,181)
Rasheed Wallace (Knicks, $1,352,181)
Andray Blatche (Nets, $1,146,337)
Shaun Livingston (Cavaliers, $1,038,447)
Daniel Orton (Thunder, $854,389)
DeAndre Liggins (Thunder, $762,195)
Greg Smith (Rockets, $762,195)
Lance Thomas (Hornets, $762,195)
Jeff Adrien (Bobcats, $653,356)
Garrett Temple (Wizards, $572,943)
Kent Bazemore (Warriors, $473,604)
Chris Copeland (Knicks, $473,604)
Diante Garrett (Suns, $473,604)
Ben Hansbrough (Pacers, $473,604)
DeQuan Jones (Magic, $473,604)
Kevin Murphy (Jazz, $473,604)
Brian Roberts (Hornets, $473,604)
Robert Sacre (Lakers, $473,604)
Luke Zeller (Suns, $473,604)
Kevin Jones (Cavaliers, $390,027)
Storytellers Contracts, ShamSports, and HoopsWorld were used in the creation of this post.
Sixers Re-Sign Maalik Wayns
4:22pm: The Sixers have officially re-signed Wayns to a 10-day contract, the team announced in a press release. Wayns just cleared waivers at 4:00pm central time, so Philadelphia didn't waste much time bringing him back into the fold.
TUESDAY, 3:22pm: The Sixers haven't definitely decided to re-sign Wayns yet, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter). Wayns could ultimately rejoin the team, but the Sixers still seem to be exploring all their options, says Charnia, adding that Jannero Pargo doesn't appear to be on Philadelphia's radar.
MONDAY, 1:01pm: It's been less than 24 hours since we heard that Maalik Wayns had been released by the 76ers, but the rookie guard will re-sign with the team tomorrow, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. According to Kennedy, Wayns will rejoin the Sixers on a 10-day contract.
Wayns has appeared in 20 games for the Sixers this season, averaging 2.5 PPG in 7.8 minutes per contest. Bringing the 21-year-old back on a 10-day deal gives the Sixers the flexibility of not having to guarantee his contract for the season. Philadelphia is essentially just postponing its decision on whether or not to keep Wayns around all year — the team could sign him to two 10-day contracts before deciding whether to give him a rest-of-season deal.
A report in late December had indicated that Philadelphia was seeking point guard help, even with Wayns and Royal Ivey on the roster backing up Jrue Holiday. After Wayns was released yesterday, coach Doug Collins suggested the Sixers may seek out a point guard that can defend the pick-and-roll (Twitter link via Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com). It's not clear whether that's something the club will still pursue, or if Philadelphia is satisfied its point guards with Wayns back in the fold.