Eastern Notes: Sixers, Fredette, Turner
The Sixers are performing a tank job the likes of which the league has never seen before, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. While some have said the team is “making a mockery” of the game, Pompey says the team wouldn’t have been in contention this season even if they had held onto Jrue Holiday, Evan Turner, and Spencer Hawes. Instead the team has set itself up to snag a quality player or two in the upcoming draft, as well as getting the opportunity to take a look at a number of young players to see if they fit into the team’s future, opines Pompey. He also believes that fans will change their tune this offseason when they see what the team can do with their abundance of draft picks and cap space.
More from where the sun rises:
- Recently signed to a 10-day contract, Darius Johnson-Odom sees an opportunity for himself with the Sixers, writes Max Rappaport of NBA.com. Because of the team being out of the playoff hunt, Johnson-Odom believes he’ll get his share of playing time in order to showcase his abilities.
- Jimmer Fredette is another player who thinks his new team will give him an opportunity. After years of playing inconsistent minutes and not having a defined role, he hopes to revitalize his career and the perception of his abilities around the league, writes Jason Jones of The Deseret News. He hasn’t seen many minutes for the Bulls yet, but Fredette believes he can thrive in Tom Thibodeau‘s system, according to Jones.
- Tom Moore of Calkins Media assesses Evan Turner‘s career with the Sixers and looks at where it might be heading now that he is with the Pacers.
Knicks Notes: Jackson, Dolan, Frazier
In case you missed it, Phil Jackson has finally agreed to a deal with the Knicks. There has been quite a bit of talk on what this deal means for the franchise going forward, with much more still to come. Here’s the latest on the Zen Master:
- Mike Lupica of The Daily News thinks the hiring of Jackson is a diversionary tactic on team owner James Dolan’s part. While the move might pan out for basketball reasons, the main benefit according to Lupica, is this will stave off the growing dissent amongst Knicks fans. The article also states that since Dolan couldn’t get the world’s best player (LeBron James) to come to the Garden, he instead got the most famous coach. The problem is that he won’t be coaching, but instead will be a rookie front office executive, says Lupica.
- Add Walt Frazier to the list of people praising the hiring of Jackson, writes George Willis of The New York Post. The former Knicks great says of Jackson, “He understands the nuances of a New York and what it’s like, the fan base, how long this team has suffered. I think that’s why he came back. He probably needed a new challenge. What does he have to prove? All the rings that he has, if he fails it’s going to be a negative for him. But he needed a challenge and what better place than him coming home and trying to bring a champion to New York.”
- Michael Powell of The New York Times believes the best thing that Jackson has to offer New York is hope. If Jackson can bring in a GM that can navigate the salary cap for him, then his ability to manipulate player’s egos and possibly attract bigger name free agents could have the team playing meaningful basketball in June for a change, opines Powell.
- The Knicks aren’t the first New York team to try and bring in a franchise savior, writes Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post. He compares this move to hires made by the Giants and Jets, moves that were designed to energize the fan base as well as offer these organizations some legitimacy. Jackson brings a “fat, fancy resume,” but he also brings a sense that there’s a professional in charge again, someone who knows what they’re doing, writes Vaccaro.
Rodney Hood Expected To Enter Draft
Rodney Hood is going to be entering this year’s NBA draft, reports Daniel Carp of The Duke Chronicle. After last night’s win against Clemson, Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski praised the Blue Devil captain for his coachability during a postgame press conference. He also acknowledged that this season would be Hood’s first and last at Duke. Krzyzewski said, “I wish we had him for more than one year, because the growth that he’s had in this year is terrific, and it’s because he wants to be coached and he takes responsibility. Anybody’s who’s willing to take responsibility for his or her actions usually does better, and that’s what Rodney does.”
Hood played for Mississippi State during the 2011/12 season and averaged 10.3 PPG, 4.8 RPG, and 2.0 APG. He sat out a season after transferring to Duke, then put up 16.5 PPG, 3.9 RPG, and 2.0 APG this season. His slash line is .474/.414/.815.
The forward could be a potential lottery pick in the 2014 NBA draft. Draft Express currently has Hood going 15th to the Hawks in their latest mock draft.
And-Ones: Lottery, Jeter, Nash
With teams starting to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs, more and more focus will be given to the talk about franchises “tanking” for a better lottery pick. Commissioner Adam Silver has denied that teams are losing on purpose, but that hasn’t quieted the chatter. There has been some talk of changing how the league determines draft order to combat this, but Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post doesn’t think the current system needs to be altered. Dempsey cites the fact that the team with the worst overall record rarely gets the top pick. In fact, since the lottery system began in 1985 only four teams have secured the first-overall pick, and none since 2004 when the Magic won the lottery and selected Dwight Howard. Dempsey also opines that losing now to try to secure a brighter future is a smart move, not one to be condemned.
More from around the league:
- Andrew Wiggins has reclaimed the top spot in the latest Draft Express rankings.
- Pooh Jeter said he is drawing interest from NBA teams for a possible 10-day contract in an interview with Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype.
- T.J. Simers of the Orange County Register analyzes the Lakers contract situation with Steve Nash in the wake of the player’s admission he will return in 2014/15 just because he wants to collect his salary. Nash is set to collect $9.7MM in the final year of his deal.
Knicks Notes: Jackson, Cleamons, Woodson
Carmelo Anthony is one of the players on the Knicks who is excited about Phil Jackson joining the organization, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Anthony said, “I’m a chess player. That was a power move right there. You know what I mean? So, now we’re going to see what’s the next move, but that was a great power move.” Whether or not Anthony re-signs will play a huge part in shaping the team’s future, so any endorsement could be considered a positive sign, opines Begley.
More from New York:
- Mike Woodson continues to be defiant when asked about his future with the team, writes Peter Botte of the New York Daily News. Asked if he believes he needs to prove himself to the team’s new executive, Woodson replied, “I don’t think I need to prove anything as a coach. I’ve never felt that way. I try to do my job the best I can do, and if you’re gonna judge me on 16 games, then that’s on you. I’ve tried to do the best I can do, in terms of my everyday approach to the game.“
- Marc Stein of ESPN.com notes that one prominent Eastern Conference scout thinks Jackson will be a terrible fit thanks to his inexperience. The scout also opined that the Knicks would have been better off trying to lure Thunder GM Sam Presti or the Spurs’ R.C. Buford instead.
- Jim Cleamons could be on his way to the Knicks after the season as an assistant coach, and might be a candidate for the head coaching position, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Berman cites Cleamons’ long time relationship with Jackson and in-depth knowledge of the triangle offense as selling points for bringing Cleamons to New York in either position.
- Steve Mills isn’t being pushed out. He’s just “scooting over,” writes George Willis of The New York Post. Landing Jackson was part of a plan he endorsed to get the Knicks in position to not only stay competitive in 2014/15, but also take full advantage of the 2015/16 free-agent market. Mills is also still part of that plan, writes Willis. Mills still will be in charge of the business of basketball, especially when it comes to dealing with the agents, for whom Jackson has little patience, according to the article.
Noah Vonleh Leaning Toward Entering Draft
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, Indiana freshman Noah Vonleh is strongly leaning towards entering this year’s NBA draft. This information was also confirmed by Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders (Twitter link). Vonleh, who averaged 11.0 PPG and 9.0 RPG, was selected as the Big Ten Conference’s Freshman of the Year. College underclassmen have until April 27th to apply for the draft to meet the early entry eligible deadline. NBA front office executives expect Vonleh, a 6’10” forward, to be selected somewhere between the 7-12 picks in the draft.
There is widespread agreement his potential far exceeds his performance and preparedness for the NBA, according to Wojnarowski. Vonleh doesn’t turn 19 until late August, but has shown impressive maturity during this season with the Hoosiers. His shooting has improved, but several league executives told Yahoo! Sports they have concerns about his position in the NBA, as well as a lack of assertiveness that sometimes causes him to drift through long segments of games.
According to the article, one NBA GM said, “He’ll spend a lot of time in the D-League next year. He’s nowhere near ready to play, but there’s no doubt he’s got great potential, along with very good character.”
Poll: Who Coaches The Knicks Next Season?
Seeing how under-the-radar it was, you may have missed hearing that Phil Jackson finally agreed to join the Knicks front office this past week. The “Zen Master” has already had a positive effect with the team winning six straight since all the chatter began about Jackson heading to New York. This surge has the team just three games out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Even if the Knicks continue on this torrid pace and make the playoffs, not many expect it to be a deep run, especially if they draw Miami or Indiana in the first-round.
What does this mean for coach Mike Woodson‘s future with the team? He has been on the hot-seat for most of the season, and every loss added to the talk that team owner James Dolan would cut Woodson loose. Lately the rumors have been that the team is holding onto Woodson in order to make him the scapegoat for the team’s problems, and use that to convince Carmelo Anthony to re-sign with the team.
No matter how you look at it, the Knicks coaching position will be a hot topic of conversation until Dolan or Jackson come out and definitively say that Woodson will be the coach next season, or until the ink is dry on the contract of whomever they bring in to replace him. Even then the talk might not die down, these are the Knicks after all.
Here are some of the candidates who could be walking the sidelines for the Knicks next season:
- Mike Woodson: In parts of three seasons with the Knicks, Woodson has a 98-74 record. His lifetime record is 304-360, which includes his time with the Knicks and six seasons with the Hawks. Woodson has been criticized for his lack of in-game adjustments by some of the players as well as the media. There also have been reports that the coach has lost the locker room.
- Phil Jackson: A long shot, but there have been rumors that Jackson might be willing to coach for a short time just to get the team moving in the right direction. The “Zen Master” has a career record of 1155-485, including 11 NBA titles as a coach, plus one as a player. The other possible reason Jackson could return to the sidelines is a ploy to re-sign Anthony, or to possible try and lure LeBron James, or other big name free-agents to the team. This is also a long shot, because the Knicks won’t have enough cap room to make a big name signing until 2015.
- Tom Thibodeau: The rumors of Thibs replacing Woodson started before Phil Jackson was hired, so it’s unknown if Jackson would see him as a fit. There’s also the matter of Thibodeau being under contract with the Bulls next season. Thibodeau is regarded as one of the best defensive coaches in the NBA, and his players have extremely positive things to say about the locker room environment he creates. In four seasons of being a head coach, all with the Bulls, he has a 193-102 record.
- Steve Kerr: Kerr has never been a head coach at any level. He was GM of the Suns for four seasons, and though it has been rumored he wants to try his hand at coaching, he could join the Knicks as a GM instead.
- Jeff Van Gundy: Van Gundy has been out of coaching since the 2006/07 season. He has a career record of 430-318, and had previously coached the Knicks for seven seasons. He has stated he regrets leaving the team during the 2001/02 season, and reportedly has a good relationship with Dolan.
- Stan Van Gundy: He’s been out of coaching since the 2011/12 season and is also well regarded around the league. Van Gundy has a career record of 371-208 over eight seasons with the Heat and the Magic.
- Mark Jackson: A former Knicks player and the current coach of the Warriors in his third season with the team. Jackson’s job has been rumored to be in jeopardy thanks to the team not performing up to preseason expectations, despite their 41-26 record. His career coaching numbers are 111-104.
- Kurt Rambis: Rambis served as the Lakers’ assistant GM when Jackson was hired as coach He later became an assistant coach under Jackson between 2001 and 2009. He then became head coach of the Timberwolves, and in two seasons with the team compiled a record of 32-132.
- Brian Shaw: Shaw also served as an assistant coach under Jackson, then spent two years as an assistant with the Pacers before landing his first head coaching job with the Nuggets this year. He is well versed in the triangle offense, which was one of Jackson’s staples with the Lakers. His record with Denver is 29-36, but the team has been devastated by injuries this season.
- John Calipari: The general consensus is that it’s only a matter of time before Calipari makes a return to the NBA as a coach. Prior to Jackson being hired, it was rumored that the Knicks would pursue Calipari after the season. In 22 seasons as a college coach, Calipari has a 591-175 record. He coached the Nets for parts of three seasons and had a record of 72-112.
- Jim Cleamons: He won nine championship rings as an assistant under Jackson with the Lakers and the Bulls. He is another coach who is an expert at the triangle offense. Cleamons also played for the Knicks, and was a teammate of Jackson’s as well. He coached the Mavericks during the 1996/97 season, going 24-58. He was fired early the next season after the team went 4-12 to begin the year. There’s a possibility that he could be brought in as an assistant coach as well now that Jackson has taken over.
Who do you think will coach the Knicks next season? Cast your vote and sound off in the comments section below with your thoughts.
Thunder Won’t Re-Sign Reggie Williams
The Thunder won’t be signing Reggie Williams to a second 10-day contract when his initial 10-day ends tonight, reports Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter link). Williams was assigned to Tulsa in the NBA D-League earlier today, the club announced on Twitter, and he is expected to continue to play for the 66ers, according to Charania. This will leave the Thunder with 14 players on their roster.
Williams had spent the past four seasons in the NBA with the Warriors and Bobcats. He signed for a partially guaranteed minimum-salary deal this past summer with the Rockets, who cut him prior to opening night.
Williams only appeared in one game for the Thunder and scored five points in five minutes of action. The 27 year-old averaged 20.6 PPG over 20 appearances in the D-League prior to joining the Thunder.
Magic Won’t Re-Sign Adonis Thomas
The Magic won’t re-sign Adonis Thomas for the season when his second 10-day contract ends at 11:59p.m. Sunday night, Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel reports. The team also has to make a decision on Dewayne Dedmon, whose second 10-day contract expires then as well. According to Robbins, the team has not yet decided Dedmon’s fate. The Magic currently have 14 players on the roster including Thomas and Dedmon.
Thomas has appeared in four games for the Magic and has averaged 1.8 PPG, 0.8 RPG, and 0.5 APG in 6.0 MPG. His slash line is .333/.000/1.000.
Prior to joining the Magic, Thomas played in 26 games for Springfield in the NBA D-League where he averaged 16.2 PPG, 4.2 RPG, and 1.3 APG in 35.1 MPG.
Eastern Rumors: Cavs, Jackson, Brown, Rondo
Here’s the latest slate of rumors out of the NBA’s Eastern Conference..
- The Cavaliers were interested in hiring Phil Jackson in some capacity, writes Bob Finnan of the Morning Journal. However, the Knicks moved in quickly and signed him before they could act.
- In the same piece, Finnan notes that Mike Brown has had to alter his coaching style to accommodate to a young and inexperienced Cavaliers team this season. Still, Brown is on the hot seat and might find himself out of the job in Cleveland, Finnan suggests.
- Charley Rosen of HoopsHype runs down the Knicks‘ roster and explores the likelihood that each player has of being retained by Jackson. Rosen notes many of the players on the team don’t appear to be fits for Jackson’s system.
- Rajon Rondo has consistently been the topic of trade rumors, but Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck recently spoke out and said that Rondo will continue to be the leader of the franchise going forward. Grousbeck’s words mean a lot to Rondo, reports Mike Petraglia of WEEI. “It means a lot, especially coming from the head guy,” Rondo said. “With all the rumors swirling, the criticism that I was having throughout the past couple weeks, he stuck his neck out. He didn’t have to say anything, but he did.”