Odds & Ends: Hunter, Extensions, Lin, Thibodeau
Here are some odds and ends from around the NBA on Wednesday:
- The Warriors have officially added Lindsey Hunter to Mark Jackson's staff as an assistant coach, the team announced today in a press release. Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game initially reported last week that the former Suns head coach was finalizing a deal with Golden State.
- It wouldn't be a shock if none of the 16 extension-eligible players from the rookie class of 2010 signed a deal before hitting restricted free agency next summer, writes Mark Deeks of SB Nation. Deeks opines that teams would rather let external offer sheets set the market for their own hard-to-project players than committing big dollars prematurely. Of course, based on a report this afternoon, it seems that Paul George will be extended this offseason.
- While he has certainly been through a lot, it is important to remember that Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin is still in the early stages of his career, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, who notes that Lin has had less starts (107) than fellow young point guards Kyrie Irving and Brandon Knight. Assuming he isn't traded, Lin will return to the team he was on the year before for the first time in his career.
- The Luol Deng situation in Chicago has put Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau in a "vortex of drama," writes Sean Deveney of the Sporting News, who says that the list of coaches who dislike distractions more than Thibs is very short.
Free Agent Notes: Wiz, Byars, Powell
Despite news that Emeka Okafor is out indefinitely with a herniated disc and Chris Singleton will undergo surgery today, the Wizards cannot guarantee money to any free agents to replace them (without letting go of someone else on a guaranteed contract by opening night), tweets NBA.com's David Aldridge. Washington already has 15 guaranteed deals on their roster, including Okafor and Singleton, but as Aldridge points out (via Twitter), a trade is always possible. CSN Washington's J. Michael confirms Aldridge's report, via Twitter, adding that the Wizards are likely to bring two or three other players to camp in addition to the 15.
Let's take a look at some other free agent notes from around the league:
- In his latest piece for HoopsWorld, Lang Greene examines a number of unsigned NBA veterans who are still looking for work, including Richard Hamilton, Tyrus Thomas, and Stephen Jackson.
- Memphis native and former Spur Derrick Byars is set to work out for the Grizzlies this week, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Spears adds that the Knicks also have some interest.
- Josh Powell has worked out with New Orleans for a second time, tweets Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype. The Pelicans, who expect to add more players to their camp roster, auditioned Powell last month.
Odds & Ends: Bynum, Thompson, Redick
Here are the latest odds and ends from around the NBA on Wednesday night:
- The Cavaliers' addition of Andrew Bynum is the most underrated move of the 2013 offseason, according to HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy. Kennedy writes that a healthy Bynum, who played for Cleveland head coach Mike Brown in L.A., could take the Cavs "to another level." With an incentive-laden contract, Kennedy expects Bynum to be more motivated than he was in Philadelphia.
- Klay Thompson is excited about how the offseason additions of Andre Iguodala and Toney Douglas may help him on the offensive side of the floor, writes Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News. With Stephen Curry focused on scoring and running the point, Thompson frequently became gassed last season when he was asked to be a defensive stopper along with contributing on offense. Particularly with the defense-oriented Iguodala now in the fold for the Warriors, Thompson figures that relief in pressure may result in him shooting better than the 42.2 percent he shot last season.
- While it seems like a stretch to compare J.J. Redick to Ray Allen, it probably isn't a coincidence that one of Doc Rivers' first moves as senior vice president of the Clippers was to acquire someone capable of filling the role Allen manned for Rivers' championship Celtics team, writes D.J. Foster for ESPN.com. Foster argues that Redick and that version of Allen are more similar than you'd think when you break down the statistics and that if Rivers and the Clips make finding Redick open looks a priority, the Duke product could be a pleasant surprise in Los Angeles.
Carmelo Anthony Not Interested In Leaving Knicks
Carmelo Anthony strongly indicated on Wednesday night that he plans to re-sign with the Knicks rather than opt out of his contract and explore free agency after the upcoming season, writes Al Ianozzone of Newsday. In an interview with Bloomberg Television, Anthony said that he came to New York in hopes of thriving on a big stage and has no plans to give up on his pursuit of a title in the Big Apple.
"I'm not going nowhere," Anthony said during the interview. "That is one of the reasons why I wanted to come here to New York, just so I could take on those pressures and those challenges. A lot of people do not like to deal with the pressure. A lot of people do not know how to deal with the challenges they face. To me, it is everyday life.''
Anthony will make $23.3MM in the 2014/15 season and can re-up with the Knicks for five years and $129MM next summer, assuming he keeps his word about not discussing his contract during the season. The Knicks can begin negotiations as early as February. Other NBA teams can only offer Anthony four years and around $95MM. Asked about Anthony's intentions a few weeks ago, J.R. Smith said that while he expects his teammate to stick around, he also expected him to do the same in Denver too before he eventually left for New York.
Lakers Notes: Landry, Bryant, James, Jackson
Let's round up the latest from the always-busy rumor mill in Los Angeles:
- Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register tweets that he expects the Lakers to sign Marcus Landry, younger brother of Carl Landry, in the near future. Ding also adds that Landry, if signed, would have a good shot to make the team. This sounds very similar to several reports we heard in late July regarding Landry and the Lakers, but no official deal was reached. Landry last appeared in 18 games in the 2009/10 season with the Knicks and Celtics. He has since bounced between the D-League and Europe, and played with the Reno Bighorns of the D-League last season.
- With second-rounder Ryan Kelly not expected to be ready for camp, Ding tweets that three of Landry, Xavier Henry, Shawne Williams and Elias Harris could make the Lakers' roster. A chunk of Harris' deal is guaranteed, making him a good bet for a roster spot, but there’s been no confirmation of any guarantee for Henry, Williams or Landry, assuming he is signed.
- It is hard to consider Kobe Bryant's looming presence on the Lakers as anything but a negative recruiting tool when it comes to near-future premiere free agents, writes Andy Kamenetzky of Land O'Lakers, who agrees with the notion that LeBron James, or any of the league's other elite players, would be hesitant to join Bryant in Los Angeles.
- Jim Buss and his father, the late Jerry Buss, knew that the Lakers couldn't keep the expensive team they showcased last year together past the 2012/13 season, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, who says this sentiment made it difficult for the team to secure Phil Jackson as coach. Ownership knew they had to rebuild soon, Shelburne says, largely due to the extreme luxury tax situation they would face this season. Because of this, the Lakers didn't feel right giving Jackson a two-year pact knowing the second year would be a transition year, she adds (Twitter links here).
Poll: Is Michael Beasley Worth The Risk?
The Heat announced earlier today that they have brought back Michael Beasley, who they let go three years ago after making the Kansas State product the No. 2 overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft. As our Luke Adams indicated today, few scouts question Beasley's natural ability, potentially making him the consummate buy-low reclamation project for a team like the Heat.
Beasley's deal with Miami is non-guaranteed and requires him to make the roster in training camp to secure his one-year minimum contract salary of $1MM, according to Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski. Woj agrees that Miami could be a good spot for Beasley, with a strong veteran leadership group and stability in place throughout the organization. He writes that several of the team's key veterans were supportive of the signing.
It certainly seems like many people, including the Heat brass, think this is a no-risk situation for Miami. But is it? Beasley's issues with marijuana are well-documented and his on-the-court statistics are headed in the wrong direction. Not only did the 6-foot-10 Beasley average a career-low in points and rebounds last season (10.1 and 3.8 per game), his PER has dropped every year since his rookie season. Coming off two titles and with one project already on the roster in Greg Oden, is adding the enigmatic Beasley worth the risk for the champs?
Poll: What Will Jamison Average As A Clipper?
As we detailed yesterday, Antawn Jamison decided to switch locker rooms at the Staples Center, going from the Lakers to the Clippers on a one-year deal for the veteran's minimum. Jamison is now 37 and saw his numbers drop drastically across the board last year as a part-time player for the Lakers. He averaged only 21.4 minutes-per-game in 2012/13, the lowest number of his career, but also shot 46.4 percent from the field, which was his highest shooting percentage since his 2008/09 campaign in Washington.
Our Chuck Myron compiled a list of reactions to the signing of Jamison and the consensus seems to be that, in light of the mystery that is Lamar Odom, Doc Rivers and the Clippers were able to land a consumate professional that will help do the little things it takes to win a championship. This was presumably the same reason the Lakers signed Jamison last year. The question is, were Jamison's career low averages (9.4 points-per-game) a reflection of a terrible situation with the Lakers or more simply a result of an aging player's diminishing skills? In short, what will his scoring average be this season with the Clippers?
Western Notes: Wright, Goodwin, Jensen
Let's round up a few links from around the Western Conference on Tuesday night:
- Despite already inking a two-year year deal with the Mavericks last month, Brandan Wright has vowed to return to the court in the upcoming season as a drastically improved player, writes Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Wright averaged career highs in points, rebounds, blocks and minutes last season and shot nearly 60 percent from the field. At only 25, the Mavs are hoping he has finally tapped into the potential that made him a top-10 selection in 2007.
- It's been two months since he was selected with the 29th pick in the draft, but Suns rookie Archie Goodwin says his existence as a player in the NBA has yet to sink in, writes Matt Petersen of Suns.com. Goodwin, 19, was the youngest American player to declare for the draft and second youngest overall behind Greece's Giannis Antetokounmpo. He was drafted by Oklahoma City and then traded twice before ending up in Phoenix, where he signed on in July.
- Despite his long list of Utah ties, Alex Jensen was added to the Jazz coaching staff on merit alone according to general manager Dennis Lindsey, writes Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune. Jensen, the reigning D-League Coach of the Year, was hired last month by Utah as a player development assistant. Before coaching in the D-League, Jensen spent four years on Rick Majerus' staff at Saint Louis University. He played for Majerus at Utah and grew up in the beehive state.
Odds & Ends: Hawks, Bradley, Bobcats, Stern
Here are some odds and ends from around the NBA on Tuesday night:
- The Hawks' offseason represents a step forward for the organization, writes Zach Harper of CBS Sports in his detailed offseason review of Atlanta. Harper condemns the former regime's running-in-place approach, and says the Hawks had a solid draft and made the right decision to replace Josh Smith with the much cheaper Paul Millsap. While he expects Atlanta to again end up in that familiar middle-of-the-playoff-pack area, Harper writes that the flexibility and roster construction created by Danny Ferry should give it a different feel.
- Avery Bradley has focused on getting bigger and stronger this offseason in an attempt to stay healthy, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston. Bradley says that, due to injuries and the lockout, this offseason has easily been the most productive of his career as a professional. He will certainly have an opportunity to shine on the new-look Celtics' roster.
- While success and roster continuity are typically linked in the NBA, the Bobcats are this year's exception, writes John Schuhmann of NBA.com. Charlotte will bring back 11 players that accounted for over 85 percent of the team's total minutes played last year, which is the third highest percentage in the NBA this offseason, The Bobcats have only added Cody Zeller, Anthony Tolliver and Al Jefferson at this point. It is not surprising that first, second and fourth teams on that list are the Heat, Thunder and Spurs, respectively.
- In an Insider-only piece, David Thorpe of ESPN points out the burning questions facing each of the teams in the Southeast division this season, adding that the division is stocked with youth and talent as well as, of course, the two-time defending champs.
- With Adam Silver set to take over the commissioner's office in February, Jabari Davis of HoopsWorld provides a retrospective look at David Stern's 30 year reign as the NBA's front man.
Vogel On East, Offseason, Granger, Hibbert
Pacers head coach Frank Vogel was a guest on ESPN Radio in Indianapolis today and Scott Agness of Pacers.com transcribed much of the interview for us. Vogel hits on a number of topics, but specifically discussed the offseason developments at the top of the Eastern Conference, including those within his own team. Here are a few key points from Vogel:
- Vogel mentioned the Bulls and Nets as the two teams that have taken big steps forward this offseason; Chicago with the return of Derrick Rose and Brooklyn with their bevy of additions. Vogel lauded the bench additions of Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko in Brooklyn, and said he expects good things from Jason Kidd as an NBA coach.
- The Pacers' addition of Luis Scola will really help the team's bench, Vogel said, adding that Scola is one of smartest and most creative players in the league. Vogel said that Solomon Hill, drafted 23rd by Indiana in June, is "ready to contribute right away" and also mentioned C.J. Watson and Chris Copeland as useful additions to his squad.
- Of course, the piece most likely to elevate the Pacers to the next level is the return of Danny Granger, who missed all but five games last season with knee issues. On Granger, Vogel said, "It’s really exciting. Danny is on schedule, looks really good, he’s making progress each week and we’re hoping that we're going to be having a full-strength Danny Granger this year to add to this team that made a lot of noise last year."
- Roy Hibbert has concentrated on bulking up this summer, according to Vogel. Hibbert, who established himself as an elite physical presence in last season's playoffs, is adding bulk mainly in hopes of improving on the offensive end, Vogel said.