Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Draft, Kidd, Martin
Links from around the Association as the Nets look to go up 1-0 on the Bulls..
- Mavericks General Manager Donnie Nelson told ESPN Radio’s Galloway & Company that he plans to come out with “both barrels” this summer to turn things around going forward, according to the Dallas News. He also said that the biggest priority for the club might be the point guard position as the club has been spoiled by the likes of Steve Nash and Jason Kidd in the past.
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req’d) looked at the top European prospects at the Hoop Summit. Dennis Schroeder is among the players profiled and the guard announced this week that he’ll be entering the 2013 draft.
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson explained that veterans Jason Kidd and Kenyon Martn were brought aboard primarily for their defense, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Sulia). “That was the whole reason for bringing them aboard. They have been in enough systems. Kidd has pretty much won everywhere he has been. Kenyon has been on some winning teams but not where he won the big one. It is a plus to have veteran guys,” said the coach.
Olshey On Jeffries, Aldridge, Offseason, Maynor
Blazers GM Neil Olshey addressed the media to wrap up the 2012/13 season, and we've got the highlights below, courtesy of Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge..
What went into the decision behind waiving Jared Jeffries?
"Jared was well aware that we were always going to have to waive him. He was part of a sign-and-trade where we had to do three years. His second year would have been guaranteed within five days after the end of the season. We felt it was appropriate to handle while he was here. He was a player that we we were going to have to renounce anyway to create the maximum amount of cap room. As we told Jared, we'll look into it again at the end of the summer. If we have a need and he doesn't have a job, it's something that we can discuss. Right now, where this organization is going, we need every ounce of cap room we can get to create the best roster possible."
What improvements do you need to make this summer?
"It's obvious. We had a tough time protecting the rim, we had a tough time giving up points in the paint. That's not an indictment of J.J. Hickson, we asked a 6-foot-9 power forward to play center every night in a league against the Marc Gasols, Roy Hibberts, Dwight Howards, etc. Even last night against Andrew Bogut. J.J. performed admirably but that's a hole we need to shore up. We've got to get our interior defense better. That's my job, whether it's by draft, trade or free agency, to make sure that's not a hole that Terry walks into next training camp having to address."
Does players recruiting other players actually work or is money the overriding factor in free agency decisions?
"Max money to max players is always a good idea. [Recruiting] is big, guys want to play with guys who are about the same stuff and who are trying to win. The best voice for your organization is your players. How they're treated, the resources they have, how they're coached, how they prepare for games, how aggressive the front office is, how invested the owner is.
All of those things, LaMarcus Aldridge has a larger sample size of anyone in the organization, he's been here the longest, and I think he knows that Paul is going to drive anyone who works for him to build this as quickly as possible. If LaMarcus can embrace and endorse what we're doing, there's more credibility there sometimes than a general manager who is recruiting or a coach or his agent who is negotiating the deal on a player to player level. I think that the bigger, stronger advocates of guys like Damian, LaMarcus and Nic can be for us, the easier free agent recruitment will be for us."
Will you tender a qualifying offer to Eric Maynor?
"It's more strategic than complex. Eric has a very significant cap hold. We really like Eric. We made the moves because we want him to be a part of our future but there are realities to how strategically we can maximize the amount of room we have, the mini-mid level that we have and the draft pick. Who knows? Our roster may look far different come July 1 which can affect what we do as well. Eric, Andy Miller, everybody knows we are going to maximize every tool that we have knowing that we are taking into consideration that we want Eric back with us."
Poll: Will Phil Jackson Consider The Cavs?
Starting today, 16 teams will begin their quest to win 16 games and capture the 2013 NBA Championship. Not among those 16 clubs are the Cavs, who canned coach Byron Scott after he led the club to just 64 wins across three seasons at the helm. Who do they turn to to help turn their fortunes around? We already heard one prominent name in Stan Van Gundy say that he’s not interested in the job and it may prove difficult for the Cavs to bring in a high-profile name.
That doesn’t mean they won’t try, however, and they’re going to make a serious run after the biggest name of them all – Phil Jackson. Earlier today, Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio spoke with a source close to the legendary coach who said that he would “absolutely” listen if the Cavs come calling. The news that the Cavs would make a run at the Zen Master wasn’t a surprise, but the notion that the interest could be reciprocated is. After all, Jackson has had the pleasure of coaching in two of the league’s biggest markets and taking the reins of teams that already were stockpiled with talent. The source close to Jackson downplayed the notion that he would want to go to a big market team that’s close to winning a title, but it’s fair to be skeptical of that notion. After all, as one of the greatest coaches of all-time, Jackson can have the pick of his litter and wait for the perfect opportunity to arise.
On the other hand, the Cavs aren’t a talent-starved bunch in the mold of, say, the Bobcats, and a core of Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Dion Waiters could go a long way with a quality big man alongside them. The odds are obviously against the Cavs actually landing Jackson as their next coach, so the question isn’t whether he’ll come to Cleveland. We want to know if the eleven-time championship winning coach will give serious thought to taking the job.
Eastern Rumors: Kenyon, Nets, Magic, 76ers
The playoffs are under way, and the Knicks have drawn first blood, going up 1-0 in their series against the Celtics. That's not the only playoff game in the Big Apple today, as the Nets take on the Bulls tonight in Brooklyn for Game 1 of their series. We rounded up news on New York's pair of NBA teams this morning, and we'll broaden the focus to the Eastern Conference as a whole here:
- Nets GM Billy King said he never considered signing Kenyon Martin, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Martin, who waited all summer and the majority of the season before the Knicks picked him up in February, had nine rebounds in 28 minutes to help New York open the playoffs with a win, and Bondy counts King's decision to pass up that kind of production as a mistake.
- The Magic have intriguing young pieces in Nikola Vucevic, Tobias Harris and Maurice Harkless, but they lack a sure-fire All-Star, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel concludes as he examines the state of the team's rebuilding effort.
- Still, Orlando's situation should be the envy of the Sixers, opines Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com. While owner Josh Harris asserts that there are "bunch of young assets on this team," Moore sees Jrue Holiday as the only one.
- The Sixers passed on Roy Hibbert, Paul George and Kenneth Faried in recent drafts, as Michael Kaskey-Blomain of the Philadelphia Inquirer notes, wondering what could have been if the team had made the right picks.
- With an eye toward what figures to be an active offseason for the Bobcats, Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer assesses each of the players on the team's roster.
Mavericks Tops In NBA Transactions In 2012/13
The Mavericks began the season looking to unload Dominique Jones in a trade, but wound up shuttling Eddy Curry, Troy Murphy and Derek Fisher on and off their roster. They picked up Mike James on a 10-day contract, signed him to another, and finally signed him for the rest of the season. They participated in a deadline-day trade, swapping Dahntay Jones for Anthony Morrow. They finally parted ways with Jones when they waived him in March, signing three different replacements to 10-day contracts before settling on Josh Akognon and inking him for the season.
That's merely a partial summary of the league-high 16 transactions the Mavs engaged in during the 2012/13 season. None of them were able to forestall the Mavs first non-playoff season since 1999/00. The Nuggets, meanwhile, sat back and made no moves en route to a franchise-record 57 victories.
Stability didn't necessarily translate into success. Of the five other teams that made two or fewer moves, only one finished with a record of .500 or better, and that team, the Lakers, would hardly call this season a rousing success. The 66-win Heat and the playoff-bound Celtics finished tied behind the Mavs for the second-most transations, with 13 apiece.
A few notes about our count of the number of transactions for each team this season: Since the Blazers waived Jared Jeffries the day after the regular season ended, that move isn't counted on this list. The list also doesn't include D-League assignments and recalls or instances in which a player leaves a team after his 10-day contract expires. But, if a team terminates a 10-day contract early, as the Pelicans (nee Hornets) did with Henry Sims, that transaction is counted here.
- Mavericks: 16
- Celtics: 13
- Heat: 13
- Timberwolves: 13
- Pelicans: 11
- Knicks: 10
- 76ers: 9
- Cavaliers: 9
- Grizzlies: 9
- Rockets: 9
- Wizards: 8
- Clippers: 7
- Hawks: 7
- Bobcats: 6
- Bulls: 5
- Spurs: 5
- Warriors: 5
- Jazz: 4
- Nets: 4
- Pacers: 4
- Raptors: 4
- Magic: 3
- Suns: 3
- Thunder: 3
- Kings: 2
- Lakers: 2
- Trail Blazers: 2
- Bucks: 1
- Pistons: 1
- Nuggets: 0
To keep tabs on every NBA transaction as it occurs, bookmark our transactions page, follow @hoops_trans on Twitter, or use our transaction-specific RSS feed.
RealGM.com was used in the creation of this post.
Prospect Profile: Jeff Withey
In a sense, Jeff Withey is the anti-Cody Zeller. While the short-armed Zeller's strength is his offensive game, Withey uses his long arms and athleticism to protect the basket like few others. Zeller is a 20-year-old sophomore who's been highly touted for a while, and Withey's a 23-year-old late-blooming senior. Both were increasingly overshadowed on their college teams by a pair of two-guards who made fast climbs up draft boards, but while there's still some debate about whether Zeller or Victor Oladipo is the better prospect, it's clear Ben McLemore has the edge on Withey.
Zeller is widely projected as a lottery pick, but Withey checks in at No. 19 on Jonathan Givony's DraftExpress rankings and at No. 24 with Chad Ford of ESPN.com. Yet if Withey was "arguably the best overall defender in the NCAA," as Givony writes, maybe he should be rated closer to Zeller. Defense is, after all, half of the game, even if it isn't as thrilling as offense. Withey isn't inept offensively, as he's shown the ability to finish around the basket. He doesn't have a back-t0-the-basket post game, and rarely dares to take a mid-range jumper, but there aren't many polished centers in the NBA, anyway.
He's either 6'11", as DraftExpress has him, or 7'0", according to ESPN's measurements, and his wingspan is variously described as 7'1.5" and 7'3". Regardless of his precise measurements, Withey used his length to block 3.9 shots per game this season. That average jumped to 5.7 in three NCAA tournament games, including back-to-back five-block performances against North Carolina and Michigan. He also had 16 points and a season-high 16 boards against the Tar Heels, showing not only an ability to perform in the spotlight but also a rebounding acumen that he rarely displayed during the season. Four of Withey's rebounds in that game came on the offensive glass, and as Givony points out, Withey had the fewest offensive rebounds per 40 minutes of any center among his top 100 prospects.
That stat is disconcerting, especially considering Withey does most of his offensive work around the basket. Not every center in the NBA is called upon to grab a bunch of rebounds, with Brook Lopez and the Nets, who rely upon Reggie Evans for their board work, as Exhibit A. Still, that, more than his offensive shortcomings, could be why NBA teams wouldn't consider drafting him until after the lottery picks are through.
Of the teams drafting 15th through 25th, the Celtics, at No. 16, and Cavs, at No. 19, jump out as clubs that could benefit from a shot-blocking center like Withey. If he winds up in Cleveland, he would coincidentally become teammates with Tyler Zeller, Cody's brother. The Nets, at No. 22, could see Withey as a backup to Lopez and once more rely on their power forwards to man the boards. The Hawks, at Nos. 17 and 18, and Jazz, at No. 21, are wild cards, given all their free agents, though Utah seems like a longshot because of its frontcourt depth.
All of that can change between now and draft night, as teams exchange picks via trade and players make impressions in pre-draft workouts. If Withey shows that he can be more active on the boards, I wouldn't be surprised if he sneaks into the latter part of the lottery. Size, after all, has always been a commodity in the NBA.
Phil Jackson Would Consider Coaching Cavs
The Cavs are reportedly expected to reach out to Phil Jackson to fill their coaching vacancy, and a source close to the Zen Master tells Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio that Jackson would "absolutely" listen if the team called to discuss the job. The same source confirmed another report that Jackson is interested in a return to the NBA, and though it seemed he was more interested in a front-office role than coaching, it appears Jackson still wants to be on the sidelines.
Amico's source downplayed the notion that Jackson would prefer to go to a large-market team that's close to winning a championship, pointing to the deep store of young talent in Cleveland. It also sounds like a return to the Lakers is unlikely, since Jackson soured on the situation there after the team passed him over in favor of Mike D'Antoni earlier this season, according to Amico's report. The Nets have been linked to Jackson in recent weeks, though they have interim coach P.J. Carlesimo in place as they begin the playoffs this weekend.
If the Cavs can't land Jackson, the team has plenty of other high-profile targets. There's apparently mutual interest between the Cavs and Mike Brown, who seemed as recently as yesterday to be the leading candidate. GM Chris Grant and company are also intrigued by Scott Skiles and Stan Van Gundy, though it looks like Van Gundy wouldn't want the job. Amico yesterday mentioned current NBA assistant coaches Michael Malone, Brian Shaw and David Fizdale in connection with the Cavs opening as well.
Odds & Ends: LeBron, Kings, Draft, Wiggins
Here's today's look around the Association as we get set for the 2013 playoffs to get underway, starting with the Knicks and Celtics at 2pm central..
- If the Cavs really want to make a run at bringing LeBron James back to Cleveland in the 2014 offseason, it will be interesting to see how they replace coach Byron Scott, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. If John Calipari somehow winds up as the Cavaliers' choice, then it might be time to at least consider how deep the James-Calipari connections run.
- Jerry Brewer of the Seattle Times is displeased with how commissioner David Stern has handled the Seattle-Sacramento battle over the Kings. Brewer opines that it's frustrating to see Stern continue to defend the Sacramento offer while inferring that it does not fully match the Chris Hansen deal.
- The latest mock draft from HoopsWorld still has Nerlens Noel going No. 1 but has some changes elsewhere in the lottery. Victor Oladipo is at No. 3 in the latest mock while Georgetown's Otto Porter is projected to go No. 6.
- Despite rumblings to the contrary, Canadian high school standout Andrew Wiggins says that he won't be announcing his college choice anytime soon, writes Michael Grange of Sportsnet. Wiggins is universally projected to be the top pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Thunder Recall Jones, Lamb, Liggins
We'll keep track of today's D-League assignments and recalls here..
- The Thunder announced that they have recalled forward Perry Jones and guards Jeremy Lamb and DeAndre Liggins from the Tulsa 66ers of the NBA Development League. The three players have been jettisoned between Oklahoma City and Tulsa multiple times throughout the season. They'll be back in OKC for the Thunder's playoff run, however.
Northwest Notes: Thunder, Harden, Batum, Blazers
Thunder star Kevin Durant will likely wind up a distant second in MVP voting to LeBron James, but he just completed the most efficient and remarkable campaign of his career, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. This past season placed Durant in the exclusive 50-40-90 club with the likes of Larry Bird and Reggie Miller while also showcasing his versatility and expanding game. Here's more on the Thunder and the rest of the Northwest..
- Oklahoma City's James Harden/Kevin Martin swap with Houston worked out for both sides, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. Despite all the focus that there will be on Harden, the fascinating part of the upcoming series is the fact that the Thunder are, as surprising as it may be, a better team with Martin playing Harden's role.
- Blazers star Nicolas Batum is thinking big for 2013/14, writes HoopsWorld's Joel Brigham. “This year we showed we could beat good teams. We beat New York. We beat Miami. We beat Memphis,” Batum said. “But then we lost against Sacramento, Detroit, Washington. If we focus, have a good training camp, and don’t do the same mistakes we made this year, it won’t be crazy if we’re in the top five in the Western Conference next year.”
- Blazers GM Neil Olshey explained the reasoning behind the team's decision to waive Jared Jeffries, and said adding rim protection will be a priority this offseason as he spoke to reporters today. Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge has the transcript.