Larry Bird Talks Magic Johnson, Paul George, Trades
Larry Bird, the Pacers’ president of basketball operations, had planned to call longtime rival and friend Magic Johnson after the trade deadline to congratulate him on being named to the same role with the Lakers, according to Tania Ganguli of The Los Angeles Times. However, as Ganguli details, Johnson beat Bird to the punch by a couple days, placing a call to the Pacers executive prior to the deadline.
That phone call sparked a series of rumors about Paul George, who reportedly has interest in signing with the Lakers as a free agent in 2018 if he doesn’t re-up with the Pacers. According to Bird though, the discussion lasted less than five minutes, and he downplayed the idea that George was the subject of the conversation.
In addition to weighing in on that phone call with his old friend, Bird also offered some advice to the new Lakers president of basketball operations and provided some perspective on how often he expects to do business with Johnson. Here are those highlights from his conversation with Ganguli:
On the pre-deadline phone call with Johnson, and the idea that they discussed George:
“I wasn’t motivated to move Paul George at the deadline. I can’t remember if it was even brought up or not. I don’t think it was. It’s all fake news anyway. You know that. Somebody’s gonna start it and [it] just was a snowball effect. [The phone call] was not about Paul George.”
On his advice for Johnson on running an NBA franchise:
“You can put a team together, what you think is gonna be a pretty solid team on paper, and then when they get out there they don’t mesh well. I’m sort of going through that this year. We thought we had a decent team that we thought could compete for the fourth or fifth seed. We haven’t played as well as I thought we would all year. That’s the growing pains. That’s the frustration about it.”
On the odds that he and Magic will make trades with any frequency:
“I’ve been here for, I don’t know how many years, 12, 13, and I haven’t made a deal with [Celtics GM] Danny Ainge yet. That should tell you something. I’ve always been closer with Danny, because I played with him for all them years, than Earvin. … Talked to Danny about a lot of trades, but never did one. I just feel it’s gotta be a fair deal for both sides and we never got there. Maybe he thought it was fair, but I didn’t think so.”
Sixers Sign Shawn Long To 10-Day Contract
10:10am: The Sixers have formally announced their deal with Long, issuing a press release to confirm the signing.
9:15am: The Sixers will bring back a player who was with them in training camp, according to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, who reports (via Twitter) that Shawn Long is signing a 10-day contract with the club.
Long, 24, signed with the 76ers last summer as an undrafted free agent out of Louisiana-Lafayette. However, despite receiving a $65K guarantee from the team, Long failed to earn a spot on Philadelphia’s regular-season roster. He was cut before the regular season began and joined the Sixers’ D-League team, the Delaware 87ers, as an affiliate player.
In 37 games for Delaware this season, Long has been one of the D-League’s most productive players, averaging 20.3 PPG and 11.2 RPG with a .538 FG%. The performance has earned him another shot with the Sixers, who don’t currently have a ton of depth at the four. The club also recently signed Justin Harper to a 10-day deal to help fortify the power forward position.
Although the Sixers don’t currently have a spot open on their 15-man roster, they won’t have to release a player in order to officially sign Long. As Pompey explains, the club will be granted an injury exception to add a 16th player to the roster.
Teams can be granted injury exemptions when they have been missing at least four players for at least three games. In the Sixers’ case, Jerryd Bayless, Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, and Tiago Splitter are all sidelined, and none of those four players are expected back anytime soon, allowing the club to carry an extra player.
Hornets Sign Johnny O’Bryant To Second 10-Day
MARCH 6, 9:23am: Following the expiration of his initial 10-day deal overnight, O’Bryant has formally signed a second 10-day contract with the Hornets, the team announced today in a press release.
MARCH 5, 10:38am: The Hornets will sign power forward Johnny O’Bryant to a second 10-day contract, tweets Chris Haynes of ESPN.com. The signing will take place Monday when his first 10-day deal expires.
O’Bryant had 15 points and six rebounds in a reserve role in Saturday’s win at Denver. He is averaging 8.5 points and 3.0 boards in two games with the Hornets.
The former LSU star spent seven games with the Nuggets earlier this season. He spent his first two years in the NBA with the Bucks.
Charlotte, which has 13 players on guaranteed contracts and Briante Weber also on a 10-day contract, will continue to have a full 15-man roster once O’Bryant officially re-ups.
Carlos Delfino Signs With Team In Argentina
Last September, we heard that Carlos Delfino was still aiming to make an NBA comeback, and while the veteran forward hasn’t caught on with an NBA club this season, he has signed a new professional contract. According to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando, Delfino will play in his native country of Argentina, signing with Boca Juniors for the rest of the season.
A first-round pick in 2003, Delfino played eight seasons in the NBA with the Pistons, Raptors, Bucks, and Rockets, averaging 8.1 PPG and shooting 36.5% from downtown in 507 career regular-season games. He also made the playoffs with all four teams, appearing in 41 total postseason contests. However, a broken foot sidelined him for the 2013/14 season and he hasn’t played in another NBA game since then.
Delfino was healthy enough last summer to participate in the 2016 Olympics for Argentina, but his showing in those games in Brazil didn’t earn him another shot in the NBA. It will be interesting to see if a stint in Argentina catches the eye of any NBA scouts.
The veteran swingman’s game would translate well to the current style of play in the NBA — in his final season with the Rockets in 2012/13, Delfino launched a career-high 6.3 three-pointers per game, making 37.5% of them. Those numbers would fit right in with the ones being posted by many current Houston players. However, being away from the NBA for four years makes a return a long shot for Delfino.
Community Shootaround: In-Game Music
The Knicks made headlines with their decision to forgo in-game music during the first half of Sunday’s games against the Warriors. As Andrew Joseph of USA Today wrote, the result was a genuinely interesting example of what professional basketball games could be.
We know now, per Chris Haynes of ESPN, that Draymond Green was not a fan of the experiment saying that it interrupted game flow but Joseph and Kenny Ducey (whose videos were embedded in the USA Today piece) aren’t the only ones who appreciated the gesture. Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post thought it was a good idea, too.
Not only did the stadium avoid the in-game music that typically plays sporadically while the clock is ticking and during timeouts, it served the national anthem and starting lineups acapella as well.
What do you suppose you would prefer at the next professional game you attend? And would this differ if you were a player who had grown accustomed to playing under certain conditions?
Finally, should it be up to the discretion of each venue to determine whether music gets played during games or should there be some element of uniformity throughout the league?
Weigh in below!
And-Ones: All-Star Game Changes, Teague, MSG
Changes to the All-Star Game are on the horizon, writes Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press. NBA commissioner Adam Silver recently spoke about the mid-season festivities at the Sloan Sports Analytics Conference.
“We will change it by next year,” Silver said. “It shouldn’t be playoff intensity, but the guys should be playing.”
The commissioner speculated that the game could include four-point shots, perhaps even a ten-point shot, although there’s no guarantee those are in fact changes being floated. Regardless, one theme that appears likely to change is the lack of competitiveness that has taken away from the games in recent years.
“In an All-Star game like this, guys aren’t trying to get hurt,” guard Kyrie Irving said following this year’s All-Star Game. “We all enjoy the company of each other’s presence. But at the same token, us as competitors, when it starts getting close, you can feel it. For me, I would love to play in a competitive game.”
- Count Warriors head coach Steve Kerr among those disappointed in the competitiveness of the All-Star Game. “I think we could talk about gimmicks and talk about anything we want, whether it’s the money or involves charity, it just comes down to the players taking it seriously,” Kerr told Chris Haynes of ESPN. “I don’t think they have to be out there taking charges, but it’s a collective thing. I think they have to decide, maybe with the players’ association, they have to decide what they want that game to look like, and right now, it’s a joke.”
- The D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants have acquired former NBA player Marquis Teague, Scott Agness of Vigilant Sports reports. Teague last played in the NBA for the Nets in 2013/14.
- The Knicks experimented with cutting out the in-game music during the first half of Sunday’s game against the Warriors, tweets Mike Vaccaro of the New York Post. According to Chris Haynes of ESPN, Draymond Green was not a fan. “That was pathetic,” Green said. “It was ridiculous.”
Central Notes: Bogut, Portis, Carter-Williams
The Cavaliers bench is as deep as its been in 47 years of franchise history, Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com writes. The addition of Andrew Bogut, who signed Thursday and is scheduled to play Monday, gives the club an impressively qualified 11th man.
Though Vardon acknowledges that many coaches reduce their rotation to seven or eight players in the postseason, Cavaliers head coach Tyronn Lue will have every opportunity to keep his at nine or ten.
“You never know what can happen and now you always got those guys on the bench that are ready to play,” Lue said of the new Cavaliers. “They are veteran guys that can step up, been in big positions and are capable of making good plays in the playoffs. So, that’s always a luxury to have.”
There’s more from the Central Division:
- He didn’t demote Reggie Jackson to the bench but Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy did tweak the minute distribution at the point guard position, MLive’s Aaron McMann reports. “The only thing we told [Jackson] was, he was going to go in shorter bursts and really pace himself,” Van Gundy said. “Push himself defensively and try and get the pace of the game up on offense. That’s all we talked about.”
- Head coach Fred Hoiberg spoke about some of the miscommunication issues he’s had with Bulls players like Bobby Portis and Michael Carter-Williams. Mark Strotman of CSN Chicago reports that Hoiberg sounded frustrated when questioned about the reported incidents.
- Released by the Heat mid-season, Derrick Williams has already found himself in a “perfect situation” in Cleveland, Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal writes. Williams’ confidence is surging thanks to the support of his Cavaliers teammates. “When you’ve got guys like [LeBron James] telling you to shoot, the confidence just goes through the roof,” Williams said.
Pacific Notes: Temple, Labissiere, Crawford
For the first time since his January injury, Kings veteran Garrett Temple went full speed in practice. The 30-year-old has been cautious with the injury, Jonathan Santiago of Kings.com writes, but finally found himself comfortable enough to return to the court.
“I’ve been out longer than I guess expected just because I know that I wanted to make sure that I got it all the way right,” Temple said this week before suiting up for the Kings in Sunday’s contest. “The setback I had last time was during the first day of practice. So after I got through my first day of practice yesterday without any other effects – a nice long two-hour practice – it helped my confidence.”
In 49 contests for the Kings this season, Temple had posted 7.7 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.
There’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Thrust into a larger role ever since the Kings traded DeMarcus Cousins, Sacramento big man Skal Labissiere has run with the opportunity. Shahbaz Khan of Kings.com spoke with the rookie about his experience during the 2010 earthquake in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.
- Though he’ll turn 37 years old this week, Clippers guard Jamal Crawford would like to play three or four more seasons, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune reports. Crawford is averaging 12.3 points per game in his 17th season.
- The Warriors will need to re-adapt to life without Kevin Durant but Zaza Pachulia has made an effort to come to terms with it, Steve Aschburner of NBA.com writes. “If I did something on purpose or even if I had flopped, that probably would have made me feel worse,” Pachulia said, “But it wasn’t even a flop. I got pulled. I fell. Nobody had control over it.“
- The lawyer of Matt Barnes requested a court date that doesn’t coincide with the NBA Finals, Rebecca Rosenberg of the New York Post writes. Barnes recently signed with the reigning two-time Western Conference champion Warriors.
- The return of Chris Paul has thrown the Clippers bench into disarray, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. With Paul back in the starting five, Austin Rivers has had to slide back into the second unit. “Things like this happen,” backup center Marreese Speights said, “But we still got time to get it right before the playoffs. We’ll be all right.”
Atlantic Notes: Brown, Anderson, Nader
Now a vital part of a competitive Celtics rotation, Jaylen Brown is making a case for the Rookie of the Year award, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSN New England. The 20-year-old swingman has gradually improved over the course of his first campaign making modifications to his game along the way.
“It’s hard because most rookies who get Rookie of the Year are playing for bad teams,” Brown’s teammate Isaiah Thomas told reporters recently. “They play 35 minutes a game, take any shot [they] want. Bigger picture, it’s better for him to be on a playoff team, understand how to win games and he knows what he brings to the table. He’s a big part of what we got going. He definitely wants to win Rookie of the Year, but it’s hard going up against guys not really playing for nothing.”
Blakely adds that the media will have a refreshing choice when it comes time to submit their votes for the award. Rather than just choose which rookie is the most productive when it comes to filling the stat sheet, they’ll be able to factor in Brown’s impact on his team’s success.
There’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- More than just a “throw in” in last months Nerlens Noel trade, Justin Anderson is a piece that could stick around in Philadelphia. In a recent podcast, Devon Given and Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer discuss, among other things, Anderson’s ability to play defense on the perimeter for the Sixers.
- The Raptors bench is starting to take shape, Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun writes, and Delon Wright has done an admirable job filling in as the backup point guard while Cory Joseph shifts into Kyle Lowry‘s starting position.
- The trade that sent him from the Suns to the Celtics back in 2015 was “a Christmas gift”, says Isaiah Thomas. A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSN New England spoke with the point guard upon his return to Phoenix. Thomas performed well with the Suns but wasn’t even close to the MVP discussion that he now finds himself in with Boston.
- Despite being recently released by the Sixers, Knicks guard Chasson Randle understands that Philadelphia’s decision to let him go was based on numbers, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Randle was released so that Philly could take on Andrew Bogut and Justin Anderson in the Nerlens Noel trade.
- When Knicks guard Lance Thomas sat for 14 games nursing a fractured orbital bone, it allowed a lingering foot injury to heal, Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes. “Indirectly, this fracture in my face has been a blessing to help give me time to get my feet back under me,” Thomas said.
- Second-round draft pick Abdel Nader could land a spot with the Celtics next season, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe speculates. Nader has flourished in the D-League and is being touted as the third best prospect in the league.
Hoops Links: Murray, Maker, Barnes, Christmas
On Sundays, we link to some of the very best work from around the basketball blogosphere. Do you have a link to a great basketball blog post – either your own or someone else’s – that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to us at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s rundown:
- The Jump Ball discussed Joel Embiid‘s case for Rookie of the Year.
- Kwame Fisher-Jones of The 76er Files wrote about Philadelphia’s recovery from three straight sub-20 win seasons.
- Mike Cortez of Hardwood and Hollywood implored the Knicks to build through the draft rather than overspend on free agents.
- Daniel C. Lewis of Denver Stiffs thinks Jamal Murray should take home Rookie of the Year honors.
- Mitchell Maurer of Brew Hoop assesses Thon Maker‘s athletic potential.
- Tyler Birss of Hardwood and Hollywood chronicled Matt Barnes‘ history with the Warriors.
- Kings coach Dave Joerger is holding off on playing younger guys until they’re ready, Omer Khan of SacTown Royalty writes.
- Tim Wray of Behind the Buck Pass answered questions in his weekly mailbag.
- Josh Padmore of 8 Points, 9 Seconds took a look at Rakeem Christmas‘ impressive play of late.