Southeast Notes: Heat, Magic, Wizards
The Heat are still working to coalesce on the court, but the team owns a 18-11 record and off the hardwood, the team has chemistry, Ethan J. Skolnick of The Miami Herald writes. New addition Amar’e Stoudemire believes the team’s communication can help them win games.
“You are free to say whatever you need to, to a player, without them feeling some kind of way,” Stoudemire said. “If you don’t like someone, and you tell them, get back or stop the ball, they’re going to think there’s another agenda with you saying that. But if everyone gets along with each other, and they know each other, then they won’t take it the wrong way. Which helps the team.”
- Evan Fournier has improved this season, and the 23-year-old has become Orlando’s best closer in crunch time, John Denton of NBA.com opines. Fournier will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season and he reportedly is seeking a deal north of $10MM per season. He turned down a four-year, $32MM offer from the Magic earlier in the year.
- Coach Scott Skiles‘ decision to include Fournier in the starting lineup is one of the reasons that the team has been successful this season, Denton writes in a separate piece. The Magic own a record of 17-13 in the first season of Skiles’ four year pact.
- Kelly Oubre has started the last four games in Otto Porter‘s absence, and the rookie is making a case for additional minutes once the team gets healthy, J. Michael of CSN Mid-Atlantic writes. “The game is slowing down a little bit,” said Oubre. “Trying to make the right plays at the right times. Not settling and just trying to be an all-around player. I don’t want to be subjected to being a certain type of player.”
Sixers Notes: Smith, Noel, Wroten
The Sixers acquired Ish Smith earlier in the week and the team plans on making him the starting point guard for the immediate future, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Smith started Saturday’s contest against the Suns, putting up 14 points and five assists in a rare win for Philadelphia.
Here’s more from the City of Brotherly Love:
- Coach Brett Brown believes adding Smith is about more than basketball on the court, Derek Bodner of the Philadelphia magazine passes along (Twitter link). “What people here don’t know is the companionship and the mateship, and the trust that he has with Nerlens [Noel],” Brown said.
- The Sixers are hoping that adding Smith will be a spark for Noel, Pompey writes in a separate piece. Noel is averaging 10.0 points and 7.9 rebounds per game while sporting a player efficiency rating of 12.0 this season.
- Brown had some kind words for Tony Wroten, who was released on Wednesday, Pompey passes along via Twitter links. “It was disappointing to part ways with Tony,” Brown said. “He had been around me all my days there…It is part of sport. I hope he looks back knowing coaches gave everything we could and for the most part I think he did too. We wish him well.”
Pacific Notes: Green, Jordan, Bledsoe
The Warriors own a record of 28-1 and a major reason for the team’s success is the play of Draymond Green. While Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson receive much of the attention, Green, who re-signed with Golden State for $82MM over the five years, is the team’s most valuable player, Tim Bontemps of The Washington Post argues. The Michigan State product is averaging 14.6 points, 9.0 rebounds, and 7.1 assists to go along with 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals per game this season.
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- The Lakers understood that landing DeAndre Jordan was considered a longshot, but they believed that signing the big man would have turned around the franchise’s fortunes, Mike Bresnahan of The Los Angeles Times writes. “We just talked to [Jordan] about what this organization has achieved. It’s all about championships here,” coach Byron Scott said. “Basically, it [would have been] a fresh start for him … with some young talent. Kind of help them guys develop and hopefully when we get a couple other guys to go along with him, that we would have been a team that could definitely vie for a championship.”
- Scott added that the team plans to make next year’s meetings with free agents more about basketball, Bresnahan writes in the same piece. “I guess this summer we’ll sit down and talk about our approach as far as the guys that we’ll target this year. But that’s seven, eight months away,” Scott said.
- Eric Bledsoe, who was the subject of trade chatter during the offseason, has improved in many areas this season and Jesse Blancarte of Basketball Insiders believes he should be considered a top-tier point guard. Bledsoe is averaging 20.4 points, 6.1 assists and 2.0 steals per game, while sporting a 20.9 player efficiency rating.
Hoops Rumors Community Shootaround 12/19/15
Ty Lawson hasn’t impressed in 26 games with the Rockets and if the point guard’s camp has its way, the North Carolina product will be playing for another team before the end of the season. Although Lawson’s trade value has arguably never been lower, he is still a starting-caliber point guard and the Rockets should be able to garner a respectable return if they trade him. So tonight’s shootaround is about finding a new home for the troubled 28-year-old and here’s what I would do if I was sitting in GM Daryl Morey’s chair:
Rumors surfaced earlier in the week that Dwight Howard is unhappy with the current state of the franchise and although the center has since refuted those reports, the team expects him to turn down his player option, which would have paid him slightly more than $23.282MM next season. Signing a 30-year-old center with injury history to a long-term, possibly maximum salaried deal may not be the best option for the franchise, yet neither is losing him to another team in free agency.
The Rockets should attempt to trade both Howard and Lawson and build a new team around James Harden. The Nets were on Howard’s list of suitors when he was pushing for a trade from the Magic back in 2011 and while it’s unclear if Brooklyn remains a preferable destination, GM Billy King has the pieces to make a logical trade.
If Houston sends Howard, Lawson and Corey Brewer, who won’t be eligible to be traded until January 15th, to Brooklyn for Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez, who also isn’t eligible to be traded until January 15th, both teams would be better off, even if the Rockets have to include another reserve in the deal to make the salaries align. The Nets would get a new face of the franchise in Howard and a talented point guard in Lawson, who could play beside Jarrett Jack to give the Nets a somewhat exciting backcourt, something they lacked for quite some time. The Rockets would add two proven scoring options to help ease Harden’s burden on the offensive end and they would get younger at the center position. Adding Lopez, whose Player Efficiency Rating is 20.49 this season, would give the team an All-Star whose career is on the same trajectory as Harden’s and they would form a more lethal duo than the Harden-Howard pairing.
The parameters around this trade are purely speculative, as there have been no reports linking the Nets and Rockets in trade discussions.
Be the Rockets’ GM tonight. Let us know what you would do with Lawson and Howard if you were running Houston and tell us what you think about this hypothetical trade. Take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the matter. We look forward to what you have to say.
Western Notes: Kings, Morris, Knight
Coach George Karl believes the Kings’ lack of professionalism and effort are major reasons why the team isn’t winning this season, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes. “If we get a more serious, play-hard mentality, a more serious defensive mentality, I’ll take all the blame in the world,” Karl said. “You can blame me all night long. But when I’m managing attitude, when I’m managing approach, when I’m managing professionalism then yeah, my X’s and O’s aren’t good, either.”
The Kings attempted to add professionalism during the offseason, Jones adds, when they brought in 10 new players, many of whom are veterans who have been part of winning situations. Yet, changing habits takes time and the team understands that.
“That’s part of the process of trying to change the culture with winning ways, winning habits, and we’ve got some guys who can help do that,” Rajon Rondo said. “Marco [Belinelli] is a winner; [Caron Butler] is one. We’ve got enough strong personalities to help change the culture. It’s just a matter of time if the team stays consistent with it.”
- Eric Saar of Basketball Insiders looks at potential Markieff Morris trades, and he believes a swap with the Pelicans for Ryan Anderson is the best-case scenario for the Suns. Anderson will be a free agent at the end of the season and Saar speculates that he will command near-maximum salary on the open market, which is something the Pelicans may not be inclined to give him.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic examines Brandon Knight‘s play since he signed his five year, $70MM contract during the offseason. The Suns were 4-7 last year with Knight in the lineup and they are 10-18 to start this season.
- The Mavericks assigned Jeremy Evans to their D-League affiliate, the Texas Legends, according to a team press release. Evans is averaging only 1.9 points and 1.7 rebounds in 7.8 minutes per game for Dallas this season.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Martin, D-League
Carmelo Anthony has been key to Kristaps Porzingis‘ transition to the NBA, as Ian Begley of ESPN.com passes along via Twitter. “From the first moment we met, he’s been like a mentor to me,” Porzingis said of Anthony. Through the first two months of the season, the 19-year-old has cemented himself in the rookie of the year conversation, averaging 17.4 points, 10.7 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per 36 minutes.
Here are some notes from around the Eastern Conference:
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel admits that Kevin Martin would make the Heat better, but he doesn’t believe a trade for shooting guard would be best for the team. Martin is reportedly available in trade discussions.
- The Cavs have assigned Joe Harris to the Canton Charge, the team’s D-League affiliate, according to the team’s website. Harris is averaging 17.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.7 assists in nine games with the Charge this season.
- The Celtics have assigned Terry Rozier to the Maine Red Claws, Boston’s D-League affiliate, according to the team’s Twitter feed. Rozier has only played a total of 95 minutes for the Celtics this season, scoring a total of 27 points.
Northwest Notes: Durant, Leonard, Rubio
Kevin Durant admits that it’s a different era now with players changing teams so often, but he believes a winning a championship helps alleviate the desire to call another city home, as Royce Young of ESPN.com relays (Twitter link).
“There’s still some guys that stay with one team, but there are some guys that move,” Durant said. “Kobe [Bryant], he’s done it, Tim Duncan‘s done it. Just as far as staying with one organization when you win a title with them makes it easier to ride it out, and that’s what those guys have done. Dirk [Nowitzki], guys like that. It’s good to see a few player that’s on the out that had long careers that’s been with one team and still doing pretty well.”
Here’s more out of the Northwest:
- Meyers Leonard reportedly turned down a “considerable” extension in November and there’s chatter around the league that the offer was of four years and $60MM, Jason Quick of CSNNW.com writes.
- The season for Leonard hasn’t gone the way he anticipated, but despite his struggles, he still has the support of his team, Joe Freeman of The Oregonian writes. “I just want him to know that we’re in his corner,” Damian Lillard said of Leonard. “There’s no cracks in our confidence in what he can do for the team. Sometimes you need to hear it. It wasn’t a big deal. I just want him to know that I’m behind him and I believe in him. I always tell him that, that I believe in what he can do. It’s just a matter of him clearing his mind and doing it.”
- Michael Rand of the Star Tribune isn’t optimistic that Ricky Rubio, who is shooting an icy 27.5% from behind the arc this season, will ever be an adequate shooter. Rubio signed a rookie scale extension in 2014, which went into effect this year. He’s slated to make $55MM over the next four seasons.
Pistons Notes: Van Gundy, Morris, Ilyasova
The Pistons added many new pieces during the offseason and the team is just starting to gel, but President of Basketball Operations/coach Stan Van Gundy is always keeping an eye out for upgrades, Rod Beard of the Detroit News writes.
“You’re always on the lookout for a guy that you think either now or for the future appreciably changes your talent,” Van Gundy said. “You really approach it the same way you always do — you’re talking and seeing what’s out there, but there hasn’t been anything that’s even made us take a second look, at this point.”
Still, Van Gundy values continuity and he’s happy with the team as currently constructed.
“I don’t think you can truly get good until you have some continuity to what you’re doing,” Van Gundy said. “We’ll be pretty careful — not to say we’re not looking. Jeff’s on the phone every day and you’re always looking. You’re doing your diligence, but at the same time, we like our group.”
Here’s more out of Detroit:
- Offense has been a huge improvement for the Pistons this season, as they are averaging 101.8 points per game, up from 98.5 points per game last season. The next step in the team’s progression is getting offseason acquisitions Marcus Morris and Ersan Ilyasova more involved, Aaron McMann of Mlive.com writes. “We know what Marcus can do, we’ve still got to find and he’s got to find better ways to get the ball in his spot,” Van Gundy said. “I think Ersan has fit very well. He’s been able to find his shots without us doing a whole lot for him.”
- Keith Langlois of NBA.com examines the Van Gundy tenure in Detroit and notes that only three players — Andre Drummond, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Brandon Jennings — remain from when he took over front office duties in May of 2014.
Western Notes: Bass, Mavericks, Thunder
Brandon Bass, who signed a two year, $6MM deal with the Lakers this offseason, wanted to remain in Boston, but the Celtics immediately went after power forward Amir Johnson, who signed a two year, $24MM with the team, and left Bass to look elsewhere, Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe writes.
“I would have never, ever thought I would not be in Boston,” Bass said. “I thought I was going to retire a Celtic, even when it was coming up to me signing with the Lakers. I just thought I’ll still be a Celtic. Boston was my home, man. I had a great experience, family loved the town. I loved the town, really got comfortable there. It feels surreal, but it’s definitely part of the business.”
Bass is averaging 5.6 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.5 blocks in 15.8 minutes per game off the bench for Los Angeles this season.
Here are a few notes from the Western Conference:
- The Mavericks have recalled Salah Mejri from the Texas Legends, the team’s D-League affiliate, according to a team press release. Mejri is averaging 5.3 points, 8.0 rebounds and 3.0 blocks in 20.9 minutes per game during his three games with the Legends this season.
- The Thunder have recalled Josh Huestis and Mitch McGary from the team’s D-League affiliate, the Oklahoma City Blue, per a team press release. Huestis averaged 11.1 points, 5.1 rebounds and 1.38 blocks in 34.0 minutes per game for the Blue this season. McGary has averaged 12.8 points and 9.2 rebounds in five games for the Blue this year.
- Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman examines which players are more valuable to new coach Billy Donovan than they were to coach Scotty Brooks. Enes Kanter, who signed a four year, $70MM deal with OKC during the offseason, is among the players getting less minutes under Donovan.
Eastern Notes: Porzingis, Whiteside, Johnson
Kristaps Porzingis is having an outstanding rookie season and Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News argues that the Knicks are becoming his team. While Lupica admits that Carmelo Anthony is the current star and face of the franchise, Porzingis’ play will allow him to carry the team sooner than later. The 20-year-old is averaging 13.6 points and 8.4 rebounds, while shooting 35.4% from downtown in 27.3 minutes per game this season.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- Although it will only take one team to offer him a max contract, Hassan Whiteside‘s market value may have been overstated, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel opines in his latest mailbag. Winderman points out that it seems the Heat are not fully committed to making Whiteside a focal point, citing the team’s reluctance to keep him in the game late in the fourth quarter.
- While the possibility of trading for Joe Johnson seems unlikely for the Bulls due to the veteran’s $24.89MM salary, if the 34-year-old agrees to a buyout with the Nets, Chicago would be a logical landing spot, Sam Smith of NBA.com argues in his latest mailbag. Smith is merely speculating, as there has been no indication that Johnson or Brooklyn would pursue a buyout.
- The Pistons have assigned Spencer Dinwiddie and Darrun Hilliard to the Grand Rapids Drive, the team’s D-League affiliate, according to their Twitter feed. Terry Foster of the Detroit News reported on Saturday that Dinwiddie might be sent down to the D-League today.