D-League Notes: Vonleh, Young, Ledo
The Hornets have assigned first round pick Noah Vonleh to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, according to the team’s twitter feed. The ninth overall pick of the 2014 draft will become one of the higher-profile players to play in the D-League. “We believe Noah would benefit greatly from additional game experience,” GM Rich Cho said in a press release. “He will be able to get that playing time through this D-League assignment.” Vonleh has only seen 8.0 minutes per game this season for Charlotte.
Here’s more from the D-League:
- The Hornets are assigning Jeffery Taylor to the Austin Spurs for a D-League stint, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (via Twitter). The team has since confirmed the move in a press release. “As with [Vonleh’s] situation, we think that Jeffery will benefit greatly by getting additional game action,” Cho said in the release. “Our depth at the wing position has limited his minutes and this D-League assignment will allow him to get some valuable playing time.”
- The Celtics have assigned James Young to the Maine Red Claws of the D-League, according to the team’s twitter feed. Young has battled a shoulder injury recently and the playing time for the Red Claws should help determine whether his body is ready for significant minutes. Young has only seen action in five games this season for Boston but has been efficient during his time, shooting 62.5% from the field.
- The Mavs have recalled Ricky Ledo and Dwight Powell from the Texas Legends, the team announced via press release. Both players saw court time for the Legends during their one game D-League assignment. Ledo nearly recorded a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists in 35 minutes of action. Powell was impressive as well, recording 26 points in 38 minutes.
- The Hawks have assigned Mike Muscala to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, the team announced via press release. This will be Muscala’s third assignment to the D-League this season. The second-year center has seen 9.4 minutes per game this season for Atlanta.
Heat Notes: Exception, Whiteside, Pick
The NBA granted the Heat a disabled player exception this week because of the season-ending injury to forward Josh McRoberts and Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel looks at the team’s options to use the $2.65MM. Winderman argues that the Heat could have an advantage over other teams when veteran players from losing teams agree to a buyout with hopes of signing with contenders. However, he notes that timing could be an issue for this strategy because of the team’s need for immediate help. Without bringing someone in sooner than later, the team could find itself absent from the list of contenders.
Here’s more from Miami:
- Hassan Whiteside has earned his spot on the roster and if he maintains his level of play, the 25-year-old center may become part of the team’s long-term plan, writes Winderman in the same piece. Winderman suggests that the team could trade Chris Anderson with the hopes of getting back into the draft. Another bonus of the potential trade would be more playing time for Whiteside, who is averaging only 7.7 minutes per game this season.
- While getting value on players who aren’t in the team’s long-term plans makes sense, sacrificing wins this season to keep their own first-round draft pick does not for the Heat, writes Winderman in a separate piece. The Heat owe their 2015 first rounder (top-10-protected) to the Sixers. If the pick is not conveyed this season, it has the same provision for 2016. If not conveyed by then, it becomes unprotected in 2017. Winderman argues that the team would be better off losing the pick this season due to potential value of that 2017 first-rounder.
- The Heat haven’t started the season the way they had hoped but coach Erik Spoelstra remains optimistic, writes Surya Fernandez of Fox Sports Florida. “You have to keep on plugging away; you have to keep on forging ahead,” Spoelstra said. “We are getting closer, sometimes you can get so deep in the forest you can’t see the trees, and I think that’s how we feel right now. But if you can step back objectively without emotion you can see we are making some progress. It’s a struggle, and when you can grow the most is when you embrace the struggle, learn from it and you get over that struggle. We are not quite there yet but guys are working to do the right thing.” Miami sports a record of 14-17 this season.
Celtics Notes: Green, Smart, Sullinger
Jeff Green has been a bright spot for the 10-18 Celtics, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSSNE.com. Earlier in the week, Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors looked at Green as a trade candidate. Myron notes that there are no shortage of teams looking for a wing player and he looks at what it may take to make Los Angeles a potential destination for the 28-year-old small forward. Green is having one of his best seasons as a pro, averaging 18.9 points per game while playing 33.6 minutes per game.
Here’s more from Boston:
- The trade of Rajon Rondo would seem to open up playing time for Marcus Smart, but the erratic play of the rookie guard has not led him to see much more court time, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. The depth at the point guard position has made it a little too easy for coach Brad Stevens to call on other players in Smart’s place like new addition Jameer Nelson and second-year guard Phil Pressey. Forsberg notes that in the five games since Rondo was traded away, Smart is averaging 4.4 PPG in 23.4 MPG.
- The Celtics should do their homework on Brook Lopez of the Nets, opines Chris Mannix of SI.com. Although the Celtics have created a logjam in the front court after their acquisition of Brandan Wright, no player on the team has the upside of Lopez. The Nets have made the 26-year-old center available as he makes his return to the court from a back injury that caused him to take a reduced role in recent games. The Celtics and Nets reportedly discussed Lopez prior to the Rajon Rondo trade.
- Power forward Jared Sullinger believes the Celtics need to play with a different mindset, writes Blakely in a separate piece. “Teams are just coming out smashing us in the mouth,” Sullinger said. “We just have to be prepared for that. People feel like we’re sweet, we’re soft. We just have to play tougher.” The third-year big man has seven double-doubles on the season, tops on the team after the departure of Rondo, who had nine.
Western Notes: Dragic, Pelicans, Nuggets
Multiple teams are inquiring as to what it would take to pry Goran Dragic, Eric Bledsoe or Isaiah Thomas away from the Suns, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Berger notes that rival executives have gotten the impression that Dragic is the player whom Phoenix would most like to keep out of the three. Dragic is set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season and will likely warrant a raise on his current $7.5MM per year salary, although that is just my speculation.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- Although Damian Lillard was drafted before the Pelicans had a chance to acquire him with the 10th pick in the 2012 draft, the team would have been ecstatic to pair the point guard with first overall pick Anthony Davis, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune. “I loved him,” coach Monty Williams said. “And I didn’t even see him play a lot. I just had a meeting with him, watched a little bit [of film] on him but after I talked to him face-to-face, I jammed him up on a few questions that he didn’t buckle. He didn’t get it right but he didn’t clam up. He just looked me in the eye and he got it wrong, but he stayed right there.” New Orleans ended up drafting Austin Rivers with the 10th overall pick in the draft.
- The next few weeks could be key in determining what roster moves the Nuggets will make, opines Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. Denver came into the season with playoff aspirations but currently owns a record of 12-15. If the team continues to win at this pace, Dempsey believes the Nuggets should begin to trade some of their veteran players for prospects or draft picks.
- Andre Roberson could play a key role for the Thunder this season and his defense is being noticed around the league , writes Anthony Slater of The Oklahoman. In the win against the Lakers on Friday night, Roberson guarded Kobe Bryant and held him to just nine points while allowing him to shoot only 21.4% from the field.
Poll: Will The Mavs Win The Title With Rondo?
Earlier in the week, the Mavs acquired four-time All-Star Rajon Rondo and reserve forward Dwight Powell from the Celtics in exchange for Brandan Wright, Jae Crowder, Jameer Nelson, the Mavs’ 2015 first-rounder and a 2016 second-rounder. The team was looking for improvement in order to push itself into the upper echelon in the Western Conference.
Dallas didn’t need any help on the offensive end. The Mavs were already scoring 110.1 points per game, which was best in the league. The primary reason for the trade, according to owner Mark Cuban, was to bolster the team’s defense. The point guard position was the weakest area for the Mavs, and their upgrades on defense could pay real dividends. When the playoffs come, one of Dallas’ biggest challenges will be defending All-Star point guards like Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry, Damian Lillard and Tony Parker. This would have been problematic for the Mavs without Rondo. By turning their biggest weakness into a perceived strength, the Mavs now stand a fighting chance.
However, there are reasons to temper expectations after the trade. Dallas gave up three role players and by doing so, the team’s lack of depth becomes a liability, especially at the backup center position. The Mavs are now relying on 32-year-old Tyson Chandler to stay healthy without having a proven option behind him. The team is the front-runner to sign veteran free agent Jermaine O’Neal and he would fill that void, but it is unclear how big of role the 36-year-old will be able to play at this stage in his career.
Overall, the move would seem to be a net positive for Dallas, at least for this season. After going 0-5 against incumbent Western Conference playoff teams to begin the year, the team realized it needed to make adjustments in order to make it out of a tough Western Conference and reach the NBA Finals. After their blockbuster trade, how far will the Mavs advance this season?
How Far Will Mavs Advance?
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Reach the Conference Finals 37% (398)
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Early Playoff Exit 35% (374)
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Win the NBA Title 16% (168)
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Reach the NBA Finals 12% (128)
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Miss the Playoffs 1% (9)
Total votes: 1,077
Central Notes: Cavs, Bucks, Bulls, Pistons
Coach David Blatt believes the mediocre play of the Cavs this season is a result of their play on the defensive end, writes Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. “That’s the battle for consistency,” Blatt said of the defensive woes. “A lot of that is the plan and the principles and inherence to those things. A lot of that is commitment on the part of the guys to doing it. Of course you have the element of effort, which is critical. And then finally it’s the pride that you take in doing it if that is really and truly going to become part of who you are. And we’re working towards that.” The Cavs are allowing 99.7 points per game, which ranks 16th in the league.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The Bucks are unexpectedly in the playoff hunt at 14-14, but even after the season-ending injury to rookie Jabari Parker, the team isn’t likely to make any moves with an eye only on contention this season, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel. “Nothing has changed. This is still about the future and the goals we have as we move forward, and that is to build this into a championship-caliber team,” GM John Hammond said. “We like where we’re at today, and we’re going to continue to battle throughout the season.”
- The Bulls have a fortunate problem in that they have too many high caliber players competing for playing time, opines Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald. McGraw argues that although Pau Gasol, Joakim Noah and Taj Gibson are all veterans who have earned their stripes, rookie Nikola Mirotic is playing at a level that doesn’t warrant being sent to the bench once they are all healthy. The forward is shooting 44.1% from the field and 80.9% from the foul line during his potential rookie of the year campaign.
- The Pistons are off to a rough start at 5-22, but the team isn’t making any trades with the short-term in mind, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Ellis notes that Detroit would like to trade Josh Smith, but other teams are asking for a first-rounder to take the the 29-year-old forward. The Pistons were in a similar predicament in 2012 when they sent a first-rounder to Charlotte in order to move Ben Gordon because of his player-friendly contract. Ellis adds that the team is unlikely to have a repeat of such a short-sighted move.
Western Notes: Suns, Wolves, Bryant, Kanter
The Suns can blame their lackluster defense for their current four game losing streak, opines Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. New addition Isaiah Thomas feels the team’s mentality is reason for the current slide. “We’re just not bringing it every night, plain and simple,” said Thomas. “I don’t know what it is but we’re not bringing it. We’re not playing with that attitude like,’We need this win.’ That’s got to change or we’re going to dig ourselves a hole.” Even with Phoenix’s current struggles, the team resides in eighth place in the Western Conference with a record of 12-12.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Kings assigned Eric Moreland to the Reno Bighorns of the D-League, according to the RealGM transactions log. Moreland, who has been yo-yoed a bit this season, was with the Kings for just one day on this latest stint.
- Although Wolves president of basketball operations Flip Saunders doesn’t agree with Magic Johnson’s plea for the Lakers to lose in order to secure a high draft pick, he understands the benefit to the strategy, writes Michael Rand of the Star Tribune. “I’m never a proponent to just say tank games or lose games. You’re letting players off the hook. Depending on who you have out there, you might not have to worry about it. … I know what Magic is saying, and I’m sure it’s how most people look at it: If you’re not going to be a playoff team, you’re better off getting as high a (draft) pick as you can,” said Saunders during an interview with Rand. Minnesota currently sits in last place in the Western Conference with a record of 5-17.
- Kobe Bryant may be on the verge of a huge milestone, being only eight points behind Michael Jordan to become the NBA’s third all-time leading scorer, yet he had bigger plans for the season when he signed his two year $48.5MM extension, writes Mark Heisler of the Los Angeles Daily News. Heisler opines that Bryant’s quest for another title is a lost cause due to the team’s current roster and Bryant’s expected retirement at the end of the 2015/16 season. The team certainly thinks this contract will be the last for one of the greatest Lakers of all time. “All indications are to me, from him, that this is going to be it,” GM Mitch Kupchak said. “If somebody’s thinking of buying a ticket three years from now to see Kobe play, I would not do that.”
- Center Enes Kanter is making huge strides this season for the Jazz, writes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. Kanter, who is set to become a restricted free agent after the season, enjoys playing under first year head coach Quin Snyder.
Eastern Notes: Magic, Nets, Heat, Cavs
The Magic are only two games back in the race for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference after their win against the Hawks on Saturday and forward Tobias Harris credits head coach Jacque Vaughn for the team’s improvement, writes Ken Hornack of Fox Sports Florida. “Coach got on us before the game about sharing the basketball and getting everybody else involved and being unselfish,” Harris said after he hit the game winner. “And that’s what we did, and that’s why we were able to be successful.”
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Nets have had their share of injuries this season but the team’s synergy is the reason they have remained in the playoff hunt, writes Roderick Boone of Newsday. Reserve big man Mason Plumlee certainly believes the team is playing well despite the hindrances. “I thought our offense looked great, man,” said Plumlee, who is averaging 16.2 minutes per game this season. “Everybody is going to talk about how well we shot it, but I thought it was because we were moving the ball, we were shooting in rhythm within the offense, and there’s a reason we shot a high percentage tonight. So hopefully we can carry that forward.” Brooklyn currently sits at eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 10-12.
- Although many of the team’s players will become trade-eligible on December 15th, the date that most offseason additions become movable, the Heat do not have many assets to improve the team, opines Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Winderman notes that trading any key player that was signed this summer would signal a failed offseason, which is something team president Pat Riley is unlikely to do. Because of this, Winderman projects Luol Deng and Josh McRoberts to remain on the roster through this season.
- GM David Griffin is looking to make a deal and the Cavs need an athletic swingman who can defend, according to Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. With the team in no hurry to deal guard Dion Waiters due to his improved play over the last few weeks, Cleveland’s lack of assets may keep the team from bringing in a game-changer via trade. Finnan suggests signing Andrei Kirilenko as a possible solution since the Sixers are likely to waive him. However, the opportunity to sign the Russian forward may not exist until late in the season due to Kirilenko being absent from the league because of family issues.
Central Notes: McDermott, Mirotic, Waiters
Doug McDermott will likely be sidelined for six to eight weeks following surgery by team physicians to repair a small meniscus tear in his right knee, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago tribune (Twitter link). Before the injury, McDermott was off to a slow start to the season averaging just 3.2 points per game in 11.6 minutes per game for the Bulls.
Here’s more from the Central Division:
- A series of injuries on the Bulls have created an opportunity for Nikola Mirotic and he has thrived in his increased role, writes Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald. Mirotic’s teammates are certainly noticing the stellar play of the forward. “Niko, he doesn’t know how good he is right now,” Derrick Rose said. “He can rebound, he can cut, he can pass. I don’t know what he can’t do on the floor.” Mirotic is shooting 43.9% from the field in 17.7 minutes per game during his rookie campaign.
- Cavs guard Dion Waiters chalks up his improved play to an attitude adjustment, writes Chris Haynes of the Northeast Ohio Media Group. Waiters’ role and minutes on the team have fluctuated and he was the subject of trade talks earlier this season. The up-and-down playing time clearly bothered the former fourth overall pick. “I would be mad before I even got in the game,” Waiters told Haynes. “I was mad, [but] it is what it is.” Now, Waiters is more understanding of his role in Cleveland and understands the team’s intention is to help him improve. “I was just fighting myself, man,” Waiters said. “That’s what I was doing. I just left it alone. I’m going to make the best of it. I’ve got good people in my corner who actually care for me. I’ll be good.”
- Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most improved sophomores in the league, opines Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel. Coach Jason Kidd believes Antetokounmpo’s increase in free-throw attempts have been key to his success. “He’s learning how to play without having to score the ball, say shooting threes or shooting jump shots. He can live at the free-throw line. Some of the top players in this league, that’s what they do,” said Kidd. The forward has already shot 98 free-throw attempts in just 24 games this season after only shooting 202 attempts in 77 games last year.
Atlantic Notes: Aldemir, Curry, Davies, Knicks
Furkan Aldemir received his visa and will officially make his transfer to the Sixers, according to David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter Link). The deal was first reported back on November 24th but numerous issues have caused delays in bringing Aldemir to Philly. The team currently does not have an open roster spot with the signing of Ronald Roberts Jr. on Friday so another move for the Sixers in the future is likely.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Leading up to the 2009 draft, Stephen Curry told the Warriors to stay away because he wanted to play for the Knicks, writes Harvey Araton of the New York Times. “The Warriors had some questionable characters on their team, the Knicks really needed a point guard, and we felt that Stephen would fit perfectly with a coach like Mike D’Antoni, playing that fast, up-and-down style. He loved the idea of playing at Madison Square Garden,” said Dell Curry, Stephen’s father. Curry ended up being drafted by the Warriors with the seventh overall pick of the 2009 draft, one pick ahead of the Knicks, who ended up drafting Jordan Hill.
- Although coach Brett Brown was disappointed with the decision to trade Brandon Davies, the Sixers made the right move, opines Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Moore acknowledges that Davies has improved his game through hard work but argues that Davies isn’t a player whom the Sixers can build around once they have a contending team. Moore likens the situation to Philadelphia’s choice not to bring back James Anderson last offseason. Anderson could certainly help the team improve today but he didn’t show enough to indicate that he could contribute on a winning team.
- The Knicks are off to a horrible start at 5-20 but optimism is starting to surround the team, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Head coach Derek Fisher noted that New York is starting to look like “a team” after Friday’s win over the Celtics. Carmelo Anthony, who played a key role in the win, knows success will quiet the rumors surrounding him on the team. “If we were winning, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about a story out there that says I want a trade,” Anthony said in reference to a report that claimed he was open to waiving his no-trade clause to a winning team.