Western Notes: Bledsoe, Daniels, Mekel
Suns guard Eric Bledsoe is expected to make his return from injury Wednesday night against the Cavs. His minutes will be limited at first, but the player is ready to go “full-throttle”, writes Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic. How Bledsoe performs the rest of the season will have a huge impact on his next deal, writes Coro. Before he went down with an injury, the future restricted free agent averaged 18.0 PPG and 5.8 APG. After starting the season 19-11, the team has cooled slightly and gone 17-14 without Bledsoe.
More from around the west:
- The Rockets have sent Troy Daniels to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in the NBA D-League, tweets Jason Friedman of Rockets.com. In two games with Houston, Daniels has averaged 2.5 PPG in 3.5 minutes.
- Gal Mekel has been recalled from the Texas Legends of the D-League by the Mavericks, the team announced via press release. In 30 appearances for Dallas, he has averaged 2.4 PPG, and 2.1 APG in 9.6 MPG. Mekel has appeared in three games for the Legends this season and averaged 9.3 PPG, 3.0 RPG, 6.3 APG, and 1.3 SPG in 27.7 minutes.
- One name that is expected to be mentioned in future free-agent rumors is Bobby Brown, whose season just ended in China, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Brown has already been mentioned as a possible target of the Clippers. Brown averaged 30.9 PPG, 4.0 RPG, 5.8 APG, and 1.6 SPG for Dongguan this season.
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban would like to see the NBA expand the draft from its current two round format, writes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “I’d like to see four rounds so you can draft guys overseas, get more guys drafted that are your property so you can try to develop them,” Cuban said.
Celtics Likely To Sign Babb To Second 10-Day
Today is the final day for Chris Babb’s 10-day contract and the team is expected to extend Babb with another 10-day deal, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Babb has appeared in three games for the Celtics and has averaged 3.7 PPG, and 2.0 RPG while playing 13.3 MPG.
Coach Brad Stevens said he hopes the club continues the relationship with another contract. Stevens also said, “He’s a perfect fit for what we need as far as, he’s not going to play 38 minutes a game — he’s going to come in, get open shots, hopefully knock those open shots down, play off of other people, and then be a feisty defender for us. He really is an outstanding defender for a young guy.”
Babb went undrafted in 2013, but played in the summer league for the Suns. He then signed with the Celtics on September 30th, 2013, but was subsequently waived by the team on October 26th. He joined the Red Claws on October 31st. Babb played in 32 games for the Red claws this season, and averaged 11.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 1.2 SPG, while logging 37.5 MPG. He signed his initial 10-day contract with the Celtics on February 28th.
Poll: Are Phil Jackson, Knicks A Good Match?
The biggest news of the week is that Phil Jackson is contemplating a return to the NBA. He has been rumored to have been offered the position of president of basketball operations for the Knicks. It’s still unclear if the deal includes Jackson returning to the sidelines as coach or if it is just for an executive position. Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reported that Jackson’s made it clear to any team that has approached him that he prefers a front-office role that would allow him to shape and mold a franchise the way Heat president Pat Riley has, but he is open to the possibility of coaching for a short period of time if it were necessary in a transition period for a franchise with championship aspirations.
Jackson is considering the role in New York under the condition that the “setup is right,” and that he will have final say on basketball decisions. It’s possible that Jackson would want full assurance that owner James Dolan wouldn’t interfere or undermine his role, considering Dolan’s reputation as a meddler in team affairs. Jackson also wants assurances that the team will be able to retain Carmelo Anthony when he opts out of his deal after the season.
The responses to the idea of Jackson becoming a front office executive have been mixed. Some league officials have disparaged Jackson’s temperament and lack of qualifications to become a GM. “Phil has never scouted, has zero agent relationships and can’t recruit. He should coach or go fishing in Montana and let the fish deal with his ego. He’s not Pat Riley. Doesn’t have his charm or charisma and Riley became a full-time exec at 58, not 68 like Phil wants.”
More positive opinions have cited Jackson’s ability to be an effective recruiter for free-agents, as well as Jackson being smart enough to surround himself with quality basketball people to help offset his inexperience in the position. Most of the debate has focused on Jackson’s ability to coexist with Dolan, as well as his inexperience being an added difficulty in functioning within one of the more difficult front office positions in the league.
There can be no denying Jackson’s impressive coaching accomplishments though. He has a career record of 1,155-485 in 20 seasons with the Bulls and Lakers, and has won 11 NBA championships on the sidelines. Jackson previously had said health considerations precluded him from seriously considering a return to coaching, saying “my stock answer has been I have no intention of coaching again.” But a source with knowledge of his thinking told Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com that after having several surgeries over the past few years, Jackson is “ready to go back to work.”
So what do you think? Is Jackson the right fit for the Knicks? Will his lack of experience hamper him and the team’s efforts to build a champion? Or is he the right man for the job? Vote below and also feel free to expand on your opinions in the comments section below.
Knicks Notes: Jackson, James, Dolan
With all the speculation regarding where Carmelo Anthony will end up next season, it’s removing a bit of the focus from what LeBron James intends to do this summer. Sam Smith of of Bulls.com thinks that James will end up in New York alongside ‘Melo. Smith cites LeBron’s desire to solidify his legacy, which winning in New York would greatly enhance. The article also breaks down potential superstar running mates for James, and Anthony makes the most sense, according to Smith. The need for LeBron to find a new running mate is due to Dwyane Wade‘s declining health, and the likelihood that Chris Bosh will sign elsewhere after the season, opines Smith. To make this pairing happen, LeBron would have to stay in Miami for one more season, then jump to the Knicks in 2015 when they will have enough free cap space to sign him.
More out of New York:
- Phil Jackson is being touted as the Knicks’ next franchise savior. He should think twice before accepting the job, writes Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News. Lupica cites owner James Dolan’s unwillingness to step back and allow his basketball people to do their job unhindered. The article illustrates this trend by examining the tenure of Donnie Walsh, who was also hailed as being the one to turn around the Knicks fortunes. Walsh left the team after being frustrated by Dolan’s constant interference.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com looks at why it would be better for the Knicks if Jackson didn’t return to coaching and limited his involvement to the front office.
- Quite a few people believe that Phil Jackson shouldn’t return to the sidelines, and Charley Rosen of Sheridan Hoops is one of them. Rosen believes the Knicks might be Jackson’s best opportunity to return to the game, but also thinks his ideal situation would be to hold out for a similar front office position with the Clippers, especially if the team disappoints in this year’s playoffs.
And-Ones: Knicks, Draft, Vasquez
Greivis Vasquez, traded to the Raptors in December, is finally feeling more like himself after undergoing ankle surgery in the offseason and experiencing a dip in production while playing for the Kings early this season, he tells Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. “I’m a little upset because I couldn’t really show the fans what I could really do. Last year, I led the league in total assists and was playing at a high level, and I wanted to do that in Sacramento,” Vasquez said. “I’ve been showing what I can do and getting better. The playoffs are going to buy me more time to show what I can do.” Here’s more from around the NBA:
- Vasquez will become a restricted free agent this offseason if the Raptors extend a $3.2MM qualifying offer. In Jones’ piece, Vasquez says a return to the Kings isn’t out of the question.
- Tom Moore of Calkins Media wonders if the Sixers will struggle badly next season, even if they manage to upgrade their talent level through the draft and free agency. Moore is skeptical that massive roster turnover won’t create new challenges, and sees evidence of bad habits taking hold in Philadelphia, including in standout rookie Michael Carter-Williams.
- A former GM tells Al Iannazzone of Newsday that Carmelo Anthony would help the Knicks more by leaving this summer than re-signing with them. The former GM says losing Anthony and enduring one more season at the bottom of the standings is worth it to maintain New York’s cap space for the summer of 2015, when they could take swings at a number of star free agents. “Guys want to go to play in New York. It’s going to hurt for a little bit,” he said. “But if you have cap space, it’s not going to be that hard to get a good player to come to New York.”
- Aquille Carr discussed his hopes for the upcoming draft with Matthew Hochberg of Ridiculous Upside. The 5’5″ point guard chose to forgo college basketball, spending time in China and the D-League in preparation for this year’s draft.
- Two NBA scouts are high on Kentucky’s James Young, telling Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that Young will land in the first round (Twitter links). One of the scouts thinks he’s a lottery talent, while the other thinks Jones would be better served to stay in college another year despite his upside.
Western Notes: Jazz, Warriors, Evans
Tim Kawakami of The Bay Area News Group provides an update on the Oakland stadium project that could affect the future of the Warriors. The stadium plans could link Golden State’s fate to that of the NFL’s Raiders and MLB’s Athletics, and Raiders owner Mark Davis is growing frustrated with the city’s slowness in moving them along. Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin is planning on opening up playing time for some rarely-used youngsters to see where they are developmentally, per Aaron Falk of The Salt Lake Tribune. This is good news for Malcolm Thomas and Ian Clark. Both have rarely been used, and are working on multi-year contracts that aren’t guaranteed beyond this season.
- Thomas, who has only played in four games with Utah this season, tells Falk that he’s more than ready for the opportunity. “Very anxious,” the power forward said of awaiting his time on the court. “I’ve been working hard on just staying positive and waiting for my turn. It seems like it’s coming now. I just have to be ready when my name is called.”
- Clark hasn’t seen much more burn than Thomas, averaging 7.9 MPG in 12 appearances. “It’s difficult,” the shooting guard said. “Anybody who’s been in my position would say the same thing. You just find ways to deal with it. My way is to not worry about it and just keep working.”
- Falk later tweeted that he envisions the two players alternating active spots in the lineup from here on out. Tonight, Thomas was inactive while Clark received a DNP-Coach’s Decision.
- Former Nets forward Reggie Evans isn’t upset about getting traded away from a playoff contender to the 22-40 Kings, he tells Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee. Instead, he’s embracing his role as a veteran mentor for a young team. “At the end of the day, I’m still living out my dream,” Evans said. “We’ve got a good coaching staff that allows me to do my best to bring some leadership in here. I was in that position when I first got in the league where Rashard (Lewis), Gary Payton and Elden Campbell had to be that leader for me. Now it’s like they’ve passed that torch, and now I can be a leader on a young team. I’m the oldest by age and the oldest by years, and they kind of look for that leadership.”
Central Rumors: Fredette, Bennett, Deng
Bulls center Nazr Mohammed tells Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times that growing friendships between players at the NBA level is changing the way teams are constructed. Mohammed says that animosity between rival players is no longer the norm. “AAU, social media, that’s all gone. Basketball on a high school level has just meshed all these kids from all over the country, especially with social media, so playing with each other at this level is no big deal. There’s no longer that dislike,” said the 15-year veteran. “Ultimately, it’s good for the league. You’ve got guys that like each other, want to play with each other. Why not? The collective-bargaining agreement is going to settle some of it because either guys are going to take huge pay cuts to play with their best friends or you can’t do it because of the CBA.” Here’s more from the Central division:
- Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune thinks that the environment Jimmer Fredette now has with the Bulls will help him succeed. Luhm says the combination of great coaching, talented teammates, stable ownership, and skilled management–things he didn’t have with the Kings–create an ideal situation for the dead-eye shooter.
- Anthony Bennett has improved his play after a disastrous start to the season, but the Cavs first-overall pick from the 2013 draft now faces a potential minutes reduction as Anderson Varejao returns from injury. Bob Finnan of The News-Herald says that Bennett needs to improve and get in better shape over the offseason if he wants to shed the perception that he’s a bust.
- In the same piece, Finnan says there is “no pretense whatsoever” that Luol Deng will re-sign with the Cavs this offseason, as Finnan is hearing from many that Deng is counting the days until he can flee Cleveland.
More Notes On Phil Jackson Decision
Phil Jackson is expected to make a decision next week on whether to become the Knicks president of basketball operations, and the chatter and leaked information surrounding that decision continues to flood in this weekend. As we noted earlier, Jackson could be using the press to his advantage in negotiations, whether he is fueling the rumors directly or not. Here’s the latest on Jackson:
- While Jackson is reportedly leaning towards accepting the Knicks job, New York GM Steve Mills said he can’t discuss the situation, per Marc Berman of The New York Post. A no-comment from Mills is actually noteworthy, relative to his public silence regarding the team this season.
- The Knicks job is the only front office role Jackson is currently considering, per Ken Berger of CSBSports.com. A league source tells Berger that Jackson is considering the role in New York under the condition that the “setup is right,” and that he will have final say on basketball decisions. It’s possible that Jackson would want full assurance that owner James Dolan wouldn’t interfere or undermine his role, considering Dolan’s reputation as a meddler in team affairs.
- A league source tells Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv that in addition to complete control, Jackson wants assurance that Carmelo Anthony will re-sign with the Knicks when he opts out as planned and becomes a free agent this offseason.
- In the same piece, another league source disparaged Jackson’s temperament and lack of qualifications to become a GM to Zagoria. “Phil has never scouted, has zero agent relationships and can’t recruit. He should coach or go fishing in Montana and let the fish deal with his ego,“ the source said. “He’s not Pat Riley. Doesn’t have his charm or charisma and Riley became a full-time exec at 58, not 68 like Phil wants.”
- A third league source was more optimistic regarding Jackson’s ability to succeed in New York, however. “He can be effective because he will surround himself with basketball people,” the source tells Zagoria.
- The Knicks’ interest in bringing in Jackson lies in showcasing his championship pedigree to star free agents they will be pursuing in coming offseasons, a league source tells Frank Isola and Peter Botte of The New York Daily News.
- Add Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post to the long list of people that think making Phil Jackson “The Big Guy” for the Knicks is a great idea.
Pacific Notes: Gasol, Bledsoe, Lakers, Gay
As expected, Suns point guard Eric Bledsoe tells Paul Coro of The Arizona Republic that he will likely return to the court this Wednesday (Twitter link). How well Bledsoe plays following a two month absence will impact both the Suns hopes for the playoffs as well as what kind of offers he will field during restricted free agency this summer. Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Rudy Gay has been having the best stretch of his career with the Kings, but it’s a bittersweet accomplishment considering he’s doing it for a losing team in Sacramento. For the second season in a row, Gay has been traded from a playoff team to a non-contender, and he spoke with reporters including James Herbert of SB Nation about being moved from the Raptors, only to see them turn around and contend for the Eastern Conference’s third seed. “They’re a playoff team,” Gay said. “Of course I’d like to be a part of that. I’m in Sacramento now and I have to build this team. We don’t know if that would have happened if I were there, too. It happened early in the season. Nobody knows.”
- Prior to Thursday night’s games against the Clippers game on TNT, Kobe Bryant told Ric Bucher he believes there’s an 80% chance Pau Gasol will return to the Lakers next season, per a broadcast transcription from Matthew Moreno of Lakers Nation. (H/T Serena Winters)
- In a series of tweets, Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com laments the fact that Phil Jackson is likely headed to the Knicks instead of becoming a more influential part of the Lakers. The legendary coach was spurned by the Lakers in favor of Mike D’Antoni early last season, and it appears the complicated relationship he has with the Buss family will ultimately prevent a front office reunion.
Latest on Knicks, Phil Jackson
4:55pm: Jackson is leaning toward taking the Knicks job offer to become president of basketball operations, per Stephen A. Smith of ESPN.com. Smith’s source says it’s unclear if the role would include coaching the team next season. It was earlier reported that Jackson turned down a coaching offer with New York before the front office gig was extended.
12:40pm: In an update from a previous piece, Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that Phil Jackson would be open to coaching for a short transition period, if it went along with the kind of front office role similar to Pat Riley‘s in Miami that Jackson is interested in. Jackson has managed to work the story on the Knicks job offer overwhelmingly to his benefit. He has everyone talking, with the media essentially negotiating on his behalf in public.
Mitch Lawrence of The New York Daily News believes the Knicks should give Jackson complete control over basketball activities, despite some potential pitfalls with Jackson’s disposition and lack of experience. Lawrence says having Jackson at the helm would be a better gamble than leaving it in the hands of current team executives. Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPNNewYork.com makes the same plea, saying that giving Jackson the keys to the franchise would provide hope to a fan base dealing with a disappointing season and bracing for another.
Before Friday night’s game, Carmelo Anthony, Amar’e Stoudemire, and J.R. Smith told reporters they weren’t in the loop on the Jackson talks, including Fred Kerber of The New York Post. Smith added that he thinks coach Mike Woodson is being treated unfairly. “I think he’s done a great job since he’s taken over. To have a bad year, I don’t think he should take the blame for everything. The players should take the blame for that and we should move on as a unit instead of singling people out,” said Smith.
While most are excited about Jackson’s return to the league, New York’s awkward steps up to this point are not being forgotten. Scott Cacciola of The New York Times writes that GM Steve Mills was planning on being more open with the media when the season began, but hasn’t publicly addressed anything about the team since October. With a dive to the bottom of the standings, trade speculation for multiple players, hot seat rumors regarding Woodson, and now the buzz around Jackson, the Knicks have remained silent while their players and coach take the brunt of the media’s questions.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.