And-Ones: Thompson, AK-47, Nets, Mirotic
After agreeing to an extension with the Warriors last month, Klay Thompson got some words of wisdom from his father, reports Billy Witz of The New York Times. “I told him, with a contract extension like that comes a lot of responsibility,” said Mychal Thompson, a former overall No. 1 draft pick and now part of the Lakers broadcast team. “Now you have to prove to people that you’re underpaid. That means showing up every night and playing at the highest level. Now you have to prove that you’re worth that.” More from around the NBA..
- The Warriors gambled by holding on to Thompson instead of trading for Kevin Love. Right now, it looks like that gamble is paying off, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. Meanwhile, Thompson was happy to get an extension done. “It was great,” Thompson said. “It was a big relief, but it was cool to see just how much the Warriors believe in me, and believe I’m a building block. It makes me want to go out there and play hard every day.”
- There are “hints out there” that the market for Nets forward Andrei Kirilenko may be broader than reported, both in terms of teams interested and what Brooklyn could get in return, according to Robert Windrem of Nets Daily.
- Nets guard Deron Williams wishes his team had the same approach to team building as the Spurs, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “[San Antonio] is a team you envy, because they’ve had a system, they’ve had a coach and pretty much the same group of guys for a long time,” Williams said of the Spurs.
- Sam Smith of NBA.com is impressed with the play of Bulls rookie Nikola Mirotic. Mirotic is a tremendous shooter at 6’10” and also boasts the ability to pass off the dribble.
- Comparisons to James Harden might be a bit much, but basketball people are high on Duke star Justise Winslow, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “Top ten,” one veteran NBA scout told Zagoria “He is getting better, a little more experienced and he will slow down a little and soften his shot and watch out.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Hoops Links: Bulls, Carter, Hill
On this date in 1991, the Kings snapped their NBA record 43-game road losing streak with a 95-93 win over the Magic at the Orlando Arena. Lionel Simmons scored a game-high 27 points to lead the Kings to their first road W since November 20th, 1990 in Washington.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere…
- NML Sports looked at the stock of the Bulls and other clubs.
- Raptors HQ reflects on Vince Carter‘s reception in Toronto.
- Indy Cornrows says Solomon Hill is filling a leadership void for the Pacers.
- Celtics Hub discusses Kelly Olynyk‘s progress.
- Liberty Ballers fires up the wayback machine.
- Sactown Royalty sees a new vibe in Sacramento.
Please send submissions for Hoops Links to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s a look at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Chuck Myron looked back at the Bulls’ offseason.
- If everything doesn’t go the Pacers’ way, it could be at least a few years before they become relevant again in the Eastern Conference title race, Eddie Scarito writes.
- I recapped the Nets’ offseason of downsizing.
- Alex Lee asked the Hoops Rumors readers what they think the Thunder should do with Reggie Jackson. Nearly 42% of you said that they shouldn’t match anything above $12MM per year. Meanwhile, about 31% of you say that he should have been traded by now since he doesn’t fit with Russell Westbrook.
- About 79% of you say that the Rudy Gay extension was a good move for the Kings.
- Here’s a rundown of teams that owe second round picks.
- Eddie isn’t wild about the deal the Mavs gave to Chandler Parsons.
- Could the Kentucky Wildcats beat the 76ers in a seven game series? Most of you (about 67%) say no.
- The Nuggets aren’t in great shape, Chuck writes.
- A recap of the Wolves’ summer, courtesy of Eddie.
- Most of you feel that the Cavs would be a better fit for Corey Brewer than the Rockets.
- If you missed out on this week’s chat, get caught up with the transcript here.
- Check out all of our great features, including the new Trade Rumors app.
Southeast Notes: Payne, Hornets, Harris
Heat rookie Shabazz Napier never had any doubt that he belongs in the NBA, writes Shandel Richardson of the Sun Sentinel. “Even though Chris Paul is a guy I looked up to growing up, I just thought this was a chance for me to have a good opportunity to play against him and try my best,” Napier said after scoring 17 points against Paul in Thursday’s loss to the Clippers. “I’m never in awe of anybody. I don’t let the moment get to me at all.” Napier entered the league with a reputation for confidence after leading Connecticut to the NCAA title last season. Here’s more from the Southeast..
- The Hawks have recalled Adreian Payne from the D-League, according to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (on Twitter). Payne was went down to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, an affiliate that they share with a dozen other teams, late last week. The Michigan State product averaged 16.4 points and 7.3 rebounds with 42.3% accuracy from behind the three-point line as a senior.
- Even though they haven’t saved the Hornets from a disappointing start, coach Steve Clifford told Rick Bonnell of The Charlotte Observer that he likes what he sees in the team’s three key offseason signees. Lance Stephenson, Marvin Williams and Brian Roberts joined the Hornets in the offseason in hopes of helping the team improve on last year’s No. 7 playoff seed. Charlotte has stumbled to a 4-9 start, but Clifford said his three newcomers need time to adjust to his system. “I think they’re all getting acclimated,” Clifford said. “All three of them I like. All three do things that can help us play better and win.”
- The Magic’s Tobias Harris could always score, but he has responded to a challenge from the Orlando front office and coaching staff to expand his game, as John Denton of Magic.com details. Harris, a fourth-year player who will become a restricted free agent next summer, is doing his best to make a positive impression on the team. After getting 24 points, five steals, five rebounds and four assists in Monday’s win over the Pistons, he emphasized the victory over his individual accomplishments. “I’ve told all of the guys on the team, ‘You look better individually when we win as a team,’” Harris said. “So it really is all about winning.’’
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.
Week In Review: 11/17/14 – 11/23/14
A look back at the week that was..
- The Kings and Rudy Gay agreed to a three-year, $40MM contract extension. The deal includes an opt out after the second year when Gay will be only 31 and the league figures to be flush with money from the new TV deal.
- The Nets and Sixers have had preliminary talks on an Andrei Kirilenko deal. There appears to be a rift between AK47 and Brooklyn at the moment.
- The Wolves had some discussions about trading Corey Brewer, but those talks appear to have quieted down.
- Goran Dragic isn’t sold on re-signing with the Suns.
- The Rockets are eager to pull off a trade soon.
- Aaron Gordon will be out for up to eight weeks.
- Jeff Taylor won’t appeal his 24 game suspension.
- The Lakers are eyeing a number of players, including Gal Mekel and Jordan Hamilton.
- The Grizzlies re-signed Kalin Lucas and Hassan Whiteside before waiving them again a day later.
- The Lakers will audition Roscoe Smith.
- Bernard James is headed to China.
- John Lucas III turned down a workout with the Lakers to sign in China.
- Jason Collins decided to retire.
- Scotty Hopson‘s deal with a Turkish club fell through.
Atlantic Notes: Bass, Faverani, Calderon, Sixers
The Celtics‘ Brandon Bass may have increased his trade chances with a strong start to the season, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald. Bass is earning $6.9MM in the final season of his contract, and should be appealing to a contending team between now and the trade deadline. “If there’s a team competing for a championship and they could steal him, that’d be big,” said Rajon Rondo. “He’s one of the best mid-range shooters in the league.”
There’s more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Bulpett also reports that Vitor Faverani is holding out hope of playing for the Celtics this season after two surgical procedures to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Faverani originally had the knee worked on in March, then went through a second procedure five weeks ago. “The bad thing is that I worked really hard all summer, and I got injured one more time,” he said. “I just have to recover. That’s my life. That’s all I can do right now.”
- The Celtics assigned James Young to the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, the team announced via press release. This is his second stint with the Red Claws, after appearing in one game last week. He has played in three games for the Celtics, averaging 3.0 points in 3.9 minutes.
- Carmelo Anthony expects the Knicks to improve now that Jose Calderon is back on the court, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Anthony praised Calderon’s understanding of the game, and said scorers always love playing with skilled point guards. “His IQ out there on the basketball court, I think is very high,” Anthony said. “That’s something that, at that position, we’ve been missing.” Calderon, who came to the Knicks in an offseason trade with the Mavericks, missed the first 13 games of the season with a strained calf.
- Fans of the winless Sixers shouldn’t expect a turnaround any time soon, opines Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He said Philadelphia is committed to its strategy of trying to improve by getting high draft picks, even though it hasn’t landed the team an obvious franchise player so far.
And-Ones: Oden, McCants, Giddens, Anderson
Greg Oden attended the Cavaliers game Saturday, but has no immediate plans for an NBA comeback, tweets Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Oden, the first player selected in the 2007 NBA draft, said he has other priorities. “I have to deal with other stuff first,” he said. “Life stuff.” Oden allegedly punched his ex-girlfriend in the face during a recent fight and was charged with felony battery, misdemeanor domestic battery and misdemeanor battery resulting in serious bodily injury.
Other players were on the move this weekend:
- Free agent Rashad McCants will continue his career in Lebanon, notes Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. McCants, a college star at North Carolina, played four years in the NBA with the Timberwolves and Kings. He has not been in the league since the 2008/09 season. He played last season in Brazil.
- J.R. Giddens, a first-round pick by the Celtics in the 2008 NBA draft, has landed a free agent deal in Argentina, tweets David Pick of Basketball Insiders and Eurobasket. Giddens spent two seasons in the NBA with the Celtics and Knicks. He has also played in Poland, Greece, Italy and Puerto Rico.
- The Spurs announced that rookie Kyle Anderson has been assigned to the Austin Spurs of the D-League. A first-round pick out of UCLA in this year’s draft, Anderson has seen limited playing time in San Antonio, averaging 1.0 points and 2.8 rebounds in six games.
Heat Interested In Hassan Whiteside
Marc Stein of ESPN.com (on Twitter) hears that the Heat are planning to pluck Hassan Whiteside from the D-League. Whiteside has put up big numbers so far this season for the Iowa Energy.
The Grizzlies waived Whiteside last week, terminating his second contract with Memphis this season. Whiteside’s last stint with the Grizzlies lasted a grand total of one day. The 7-footer was signed along with Kalin Lucas to help fill the gap as five Grizzlies players were out of action with stomach viruses. Still, Whiteside did not see the floor for the Grizzlies and has yet to see a minute of NBA action in 2013/14.
As Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel (on Twitter) notes, the Heat could cut Andre Dawkins to make room for Whiteside. The undrafted shooting guard is on a non-guaranteed pact and could be moved to the team’s D-League affiliate. Eventually, Winderman posits (link), a Whiteside signing could unseat Justin Hamilton, who has a December 1st partial-guarantee date.
Western Notes: Howard, Saunders, Thunder
The Rockets’ Dwight Howard is out indefinitely after undergoing platelet-rich plasma therapy on his strained right knee, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Coach Kevin McHale said there is no timetable for the center to return after going through the PRP therapy that Kobe Bryant experimented with in 2013. “It feels a lot better,” Howard said after the treatment. “I had to get a shot in it to clear some of the stuff out of it. I’m trying to do whatever I can to get back on the floor.”
Here’s more from around the Western Conference:
- The Wolves’ Flip Saunders has been putting in late hours trying to find a replacement for the injured Kevin Martin, writes Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. Martin is out indefinitely after breaking his right wrist Wednesday, adding to an injury list that already includes Ricky Rubio, Nikola Pekovic and Ronny Turiaf. Saunders, who serves as team president and coach, has been talking to agents and looking at D-League prospects for potential roster help.
- The injury news is better in Oklahoma City, where Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook participated in practice Saturday, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. The Thunder stars were limited to a few non-contact drills, but coach Scott Brooks was encouraged. “They looked good,” Brooks said. “They’ve been with the group the whole time, but (Saturday) was the first day they’ve actually participated in some of the drills.” Durant, the league’s reigning MVP, had surgery on his right foot. Westbrook has a surgically repaired right hand. Both are scheduled to have their medical progress evaluated this week.
- Kobe Bryant’s refusal to demand a trade from the Lakers undermines his public image as a cut-throat competitor, opines Shaun Powell of NBA.com. Powell notes that the woeful Lakers were in a similar situation a decade ago, and Bryant responded by threatening to sign with the Clippers if the talent around him didn’t improve. This time, Powell says, Bryant “agreed to serve as the conductor” on a train wreck in exchange for a two-year, $48MM contract extension that runs through next season.
Cavaliers Notes: Kirilenko, James, Blatt
In need of an athletic defender on the wing, the Cavaliers are keeping an eye on Andrei Kirilenko‘s situation with the Nets, reports Chris Haynes of Northeast Ohio Media Group. Kirilenko was rumored this week to be involved in a possible trade to the Sixers, who are expected to waive him if the deal goes through. He is making more than $3.3MM this season and will be an unrestricted free agent next summer. Here’s more from Cleveland:
- LeBron James told Joe Vardon of Northeast Ohio Media Group he is accepting blame for the Cavaliers‘ slow start, and that was before Saturday’s 17-point loss to the Raptors. “I can sustain my effort as well, as close to 48 minutes as possible, and the guys that feed off me,” James said. “I’ve been kind of waiting around a little bit to see what may happen, sometimes it’s been good, sometimes it hasn’t been good.” James was expected to make the Cavs instant contenders after he left the Heat to join the team as a free agent during the summer, but Cleveland has struggled to a 5-7 start.
- James also took a hit from Chris Fedor of Northeast Ohio Media Media Group, who said the best player in the NBA hasn’t performed like it during the Cavaliers‘ four-game losing streak. Fedor faults James for poor play and bad body language and says as team leader James needs to set a better example for his impressionable teammates.
- Saturday night’s collapse offered more proof that the Cavaliers are “fragile,” opines Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. That was James’ assessment of the team, and Amico wholeheartedly agrees, pointing out the inexperience of rookie head coach David Blatt, a weak bench that was outscored 51-19 by the Raptors’ reserves and a consistently poor defensive effort.