Sefko On Mavs, Jefferson, Beaubois, Finley, Mayo
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News frequently dips into his mailbag to answer reader questions, and today's responses are especially full of relevant info. He looks ahead to trades and free agent signings the Mavs could pursue over the next 12 months, and sizes up the return on some of the moves the team made this past summer. We'll round up the highlights here:
- It's "very likely" the Mavs will be involved in a swap before the trade deadline, but nothing will go down before December 15th, when free agents who signed this summer become eligible to be traded. Whatever happens, it's unlikely to be a "monster deal," according to Sefko, who mentions Rodrigue Beaubois as a likely trade candidate.
- Sefko thinks the Mavs have interest in upcoming free agent Al Jefferson, despite his high price tag, believing he'd be a much more appealing target for the team than Josh Smith.
- Sefko doesn't believe owner Mark Cuban was sincere when he said he wants to keep all of the team's new additions, and thinks the future of the team's coterie of guys on one-year contracts is up in the air.
- Michael Finley had been working in the Mavs front office before his latest comeback attempt, but Sefko doesn't see a place for him on the playing roster.
- O.J. Mayo's move from the Grizzlies to the Mavs has worked out well for both teams so far, Sefko observes.
- It's unclear whether the Suns want to put Marcin Gortat on the market, but if they do, Sefko believes it would take a package of Mayo, Jae Crowder, and draft picks for the Mavs to land him.
Pacific Notes: Bogut, Clippers, Lakers
For all their struggles this season, the 7-7 Lakers are just a game out of first place in the Pacific Division, behind the Clippers and Warriors, who are tied at 8-6. We're still less than a month into the season, but the Clippers, who've lost four in a row, may wind up ruing their inability to keep their Staples Center rivals at arm's length. We've got both L.A. teams covered, plus more, as we round up the Pacific.
- Andrew Bogut won't return as planned on Saturday, and the Warriors center isn't sure when he'll play again, writes Carl Steward of the Bay Area News Group. Bogut thinks it was probably a mistake to rush his recovery from left ankle surgery so he could make it back for the start of the season. He played in four games before his latest absence.
- The relationship between Chris Paul and coach Vinny Del Negro, both in the final seasons of their contracts, could ride on the Clippers' ability to quickly return to winning, opines Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Antawn Jamison and Jodie Meeks have helped the Lakers' bench improve, but Jamison's play has come at the cost of minutes for fellow offseason signee Jordan Hill, notes Brian Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- We're in the midst of covering the Pacific Division in our Offseason In Review series, hitting the Warriors today with the rest of the division's teams to follow.
NBA Training Camp Cuts On D-League Rosters
Dozens of players were let go at the end of NBA training camps last month, and while some of them have signed overseas, many resurfaced Friday on D-League opening-night rosters. In fact, for a few, that seemed to be the plan all along. The Spurs, Timberwolves and Celtics quietly signed players toward the end of the preseason with the purpose of gaining their "affiliate rights," or the right to protect them from the D-League draft. Teams can protect as many as three training camp cuts for their affiliates, though the Cavs and Warriors managed to wind up with four former training camp invitees on their respective D-League teams.
Note that the players below are no longer on NBA rosters, unlike guys who've simply been assigned to the D-League. Some of the players listed were with multiple NBA teams in camp this fall, but we'll go with their latest NBA team here. If you notice any omissions, please let us know.
Spurs
- *JaMychal Green, Austin Toros
- Tyler Wilkerson, Austin Toros
- Wesley Witherspoon, Austin Toros
Grizzlies
- Kyle Weaver, Austin Toros
- D.J. Kennedy, Erie BayHawks
- Jarrid Famous, Los Angeles D-Fenders
Jazz
- Brian Butch, Bakersfield Jam
- Darnell Jackson, Reno Bighorns
Nets
- Stephen Dennis, Bakersfield Jam
- James Mays, Springfield Armor
- Carleton Scott, Springfield Armor
Hawks
- Keith Benson, Erie BayHawks
- Damion James, Bakersfield Jam
- Isma'il Muhammad, Bakersfield Jam
Raptors
- Jerel McNeal, Bakersfield Jam
Cavaliers
- Kevin Anderson, Canton Charge
- D'Aundray Brown, Canton Charge
- Micheal Eric, Canton Charge
- Kevin Jones, Canton Charge
Knicks
- Oscar Bellfield, Erie BayHawks
- Henry Sims, Erie BayHawks
- Mychel Thompson, Erie BayHawks
Trail Blazers
- Demonte Harper, Eric BayHawks
Rockets
- JaJuan Johnson, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Kyle Fogg, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
- Demetri McCamey, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Thunder
- Walker Russell, Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- Andy Rautins, Tulsa 66ers
- Hollis Thompson, Tulsa 66ers
Magic
- Justin Harper, Idaho Stampede
- Chris Johnson, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Blazers
- Justin Holiday, Idaho Stampede
- Coby Karl, Idaho Stampede
- Dallas Lauderdale, Idaho Stampede
Timberwolves
- Seth Tarver, Idaho Stampede
- Phil Jones, Los Angeles D-Fenders
- *Troy Hudson, Sioux Falls Skyforce
- *Demetris Nichols, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Bucks
- Mustapha Farrakhan, Iowa Energy
- Orien Greene, Los Angeles D-Fenders
Hornets
- Dominique Morrison, Iowa Energy
- Chris Wright, Iowa Energy
Clippers
- Courtney Fortson, Los Angeles D-Fenders
- Travis Leslie, Santa Cruz Warriors
Wizards
- Shelvin Mack, Maine Red Claws
Sixers
- Xavier Silas, Maine Red Claws
Celtics
- Micah Downs, Maine Red Claws
- *Brian Cusworth, Maine Red Claws
Raptors
- Chris Wright, Maine Red Claws
Heat
- Garrett Temple, Reno Bighorns
- Jarvis Varnado, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Bobcats
- Jeff Adrien, Rio Grande Valley Vipers
Warriors
- Carlon Brown, Santa Cruz Warriors
- Lance Goulbourne, Santa Cruz Warriors
- Stefhon Hannah, Santa Cruz Warriors
- Rick Jackson, Santa Cruz Warriors
Lakers
- Andrew Goudelock, Sioux Falls Skyforce
Kings
- Willie Reed, Springfield Armor
Nuggets
- Ben Uzoh, Springfield Armor
Magic
- Christian Eyenga, Texas Legends
Mavericks
- Chris Douglas-Roberts, Texas Legends
- Melvin Ely, Texas Legends
*-signed so the NBA team could retain his affiliate rights
Jazz Assign Kevin Murphy To D-League
MONDAY, 11:48am: The Jazz have officially assigned Murphy to the Bighorns, Jody Genessy of the Deseret News confirms (via Twitter).
SATURDAY, 4:25pm: The Jazz will send rookie Kevin Murphy to the Reno Bighorns, their D-League affiliate, on Monday as long as the twisted ankle that knocked Mo Williams out of last night's game with the Kings is not too severe, tweets Jody Genessey of the Deseret News. The assignment would be Utah's first of the season.
The Jazz drafted Murphy, a 6'6" swingman from Tennessee Tech, with the 47th overall pick in the draft. He signed a minimum-salary contract that's partially guaranteed for $200K this year and fully non-guaranteed for 2013/14.
Murphy has played just nine minutes in three games for the Jazz thus far, and Utah's backcourt just got more crowded with last night's return of Earl Watson from injury. When the move becomes official, we'll add it to our list of D-League assignments and recalls from the entire league.
Southwest Notes: McHale, Livingston, Mavs, Rivers
The Rockets announced that coach Kevin McHale's daughter Sasha died Saturday afternoon, and Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle reports the 23-year-old had recently been hospitalized with a condition related to lupus, a disease she had long battled. Assistant coach Kelvin Sampson has been in charge of the team since McHale took a leave of absence on November 10th to tend to his daughter. The news is especially jarring, considering Sampson indicated a few days ago that the situation was improving. Hoops Rumors sends its sincere condolences to the McHale family. Here's more from the Southwest Division.
- Anthony Davis could be out two more weeks while recovering from a stress reaction in his ankle, reports Jimmy Smith of the Times-Picayune.
- Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports hears Wizards point guard Shaun Livingston, who was in camp with the Rockets, often outplayed Jeremy Lin while in Houston, where several Rockets players and coaches tried to convince the front office not to let Livingston go.
- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle has shuttled offseason acquisitions Elton Brand and Chris Kaman in and out of the starting lineup, but neither player is pouting as they've put their trust in the coach, observes Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
- Paul Flannery of SB Nation examines the struggles of Hornets rookie Austin Rivers, and agrees with coach Monty Williams that it's too soon to judge this year's 10th overall pick.
- Flannery also passes along Williams' praise of former Hornets power forward David West, who's playing improved ball for the Pacers, and points to the emergence of Marcus Morris for the Rockets this year as a sign the D-League's true value is in the seasoning and development it provides for NBA first-round picks.
Rockets Recall Donatas Motiejunas From D-League
The Rockets recalled seven-footer Donatas Motiejunas from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers this morning, tweets Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The Lithuanian rookie was sent down earlier this month along with Scott Machado, who remains with the Vipers. It appeared at the time of their assignments that Royce White would be joining them as well, but that turned out not to be the case, as Rockets GM Daryl Morey later said the team never intended to demote the troubled White.
Motiejunas started games on back-to-back nights for the Vipers, who tipped off their season Friday. He averaged 24.0 points and 9.5 rebounds in 37.0 minutes per contest. He has also appeared in one game for the Rockets this season, logging five minutes. Motiejunas was the 20th overall pick in the 2011 draft by the Timberwolves, who immediately traded him to the Rockets. He spent last season playing for Asseco Prokom Gdynia in Poland.
The recall opens up a spot for the Rockets to send down White or another player, if they choose, since NBA teams can only send down two players at a time. Morey recently spoke about the development of Motiejunas and Machado, and how he wants to use the D-League to facilitate that. For a complete list of D-League comings and goings this season, check out our updated list.
Lakers Rumors: Gasol, D’Antoni, Jamison, Nash
A day after criticizing Pau Gasol, coach Mike D'Antoni was quick to reaffirm his support for the big man Saturday after the Lakers blew out the Mavs, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times chronicles. Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register notes the 7'0" Spaniard has also been slowed by tendinitis in his knees. The Gasol situation bears watching, but after his 13-point, nine-rebound performance last night, it doesn't seem like there's too much wrong with him or his fit on the team. There's more on the purple and gold, and we'll round it up here:
- In the same piece, Ding also points out the uptick in performance from offseason signee Antawn Jamison since D'Antoni moved him from small forward to power forward.
- The Lakers are banking heavily on the idea that Steve Nash, who turns 39 in February, can help turn around the team's slow start when he returns from injury, writes HoopsWorld's Derek Page. Yesterday, I asked whether the Lakers should make a move or wait until Nash returns, and so far, a majority of readers aren't believers in a patient approach.
- Lakers training camp invitee Greg Somogyi may sign to play in his native Hungary for the club Szolnoki Olajbanyasz, Sportando's David Pick reports.
Sixers Have Plan If Andrew Bynum Doesn’t Return
Sixers GM Tony DiLeo, who announced last night that Andrew Bynum will remain sidelined indefinitely, said he anticipates the team's key offseason acquisition will return at some point, but said he's prepared in case Bynum doesn't come back, as Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com documents.
"We hope he will be back," DiLeo said. "We have plans for the future if he is not back with us, but we are anticipating this is a short-term thing. We want to plan on him for the long term."
Bynum, who is experiencing pain in both knees that has confused doctors, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, and it's unclear if DiLeo's "plans for the future" involve this season or subsequent years. HoopsWorld's Lang Greene speculated the Sixers, who have an open roster spot, could go after free agents Eddy Curry and Kenyon Martin, which would address Bynum's immediate absence. Kyrylo Fesenko and Chris Andersen are among other big men on the Hoops Rumors list of available free agents.
If the Sixers knew Bynum was out for the season, they could seek a trade, Moore says, but with a roster built to take advantage of Bynum with outside shooters, he advises the team to patiently await the return of their 7'0" center. Philadelphia has gone 7-6 without Bynum appearing in a game yet this season.
Pistons Rumors: Singler, Drummond, Bynum
The Pistons are in New York today for a matinee against the Knicks in a matchup of teams whose seasons have begun to turn in opposite directions. The Pistons started 0-8, but have won three of their last five, while the Knicks, who were 6-0, have lost three out of five. Detroit is hoping the more recent trends continue as we take a closer look at the Motor City's team.
- Kyle Singler helped his Spanish league team to a championship last year, and that experience is helping him in his rookie year with the Pistons, observes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- Fellow Free Press scribe Mike Brudenell notes that Pistons coach Lawrence Frank is impressed with the development another rookie, Andre Drummond, who recorded his first double-double for the team on Friday.
- While examining the development of starting point guard Brandon Knight, MLive's David Mayo also looks at how backup Will Bynum, in the final season of his contract, has returned to the Pistons rotation.
Gary Forbes Signs In China
Gary Forbes signed to play in China this year for the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions, but he still has his eyes set on an NBA contract when the CBA season is over, agent Greg Nunn informs HoopsHype. The 6’7” forward was one of the last cuts by the Rockets at the end of training camp. The Chinese season ends in February, so there will be plenty of time for Forbes to return to the NBA if any team shows interest.
Forbes, 27, spent the last two seasons with the Nuggets and Raptors, respectively, after going undrafted out of UMass in 2008. He spent time in Italy, Israel and the D-League before making the Nuggets out of camp in 2010. He signed a two-year, $3MM contract with the Raptors after the lockout, but was sent to Houston in the Kyle Lowry deal. The contract was fully guaranteed for 2012/13, but the Rockets waived him when the James Harden trade left them with more guaranteed contracts than available roster spots.
Forbes has averaged 5.8 points in 13.5 minutes per game in the NBA, with a 12.4 PER. He’ll join former 14th overall pick Al Thornton, who signed with the Lions in September.