Eastern Notes: Knicks, Wizards, Pistons
There’s been some ugly basketball tonight in the East, with the Cavs losing to the Pelicans, and blowouts coming in the Knicks/Celtics and Pistons/Magic games. Here are some of today’s rumblings from the East:
- Glen Rice Jr. has been recalled from the D-League by the Wizards, per a release on NBA.com. Rice was playing with Washington affiliate Iowa Energy on a rehabilitation stint.
- Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News believes there’s a 75% chance of the Pistons making a trade between now and the deadline, identifying Rodney Stuckey, Charlie Villanueva, Jonas Jerebko and Greg Monroe as the team’s top trade candidates.
- In a series of tweets, New York Daily News’ Frank Isola noted some peculiar in-arena behavior from Knicks owner James Dolan and other New York brass during the Knicks/Celtics game. Isola speculates that the apparent in-game meetings could have something to do with either Beno Udrih (who has requested a trade) or Iman Shumpert, who hurt his shoulder and hasn’t returned to action.
Poll: Will the Raptors Be Sellers This Trade Season?
Since shedding the contract of Rudy Gay to the Kings, months after dealing what was thought to be an untradeable Andrea Bargnani contract, Raptors general manager Masai Ujiri hasn’t made any major moves. The Gay trade was perceived as a signal by many that the Raptors were prepared to punt on this season. Toronto’s roster was believed to be highly available, with the only untouchable being Jonas Valanciunas. Kyle Lowry was very close to being dealt, before Knicks owner James Dolan stepped in to stop that trade.
Since that turbulence, the Raptors have maintained a record above .500 and currently sit as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, atop the Atlantic Division. While Ujiri has been praised as one of the best front office minds in the league (he won NBA Executive of the Year last season), the assumption that his go-to strategy would be tanking might be misguided. While continuously overhauling the Nuggets roster, Ujiri never oversaw a losing season in Denver. Despite parting with big names like Carmelo Anthony and Nene and receiving a potentially premium draft pick in return (the Knicks’ unprotected 2014 first rounder), Ujiri still managed to acquire players that kept the Nuggets a perennial playoff team. Of course, the draft classes during his Nuggets years were not as highly touted as 2014’s loaded crop, which is a significant variable.
Chuck Myron recently featured Kyle Lowry in our Trade Candidate series, noting that Lowry’s stellar play this year could be due to his entering his prime, or an aberration awaiting a regression back to his career norm. Lowry could be a microcosm for the Raptors roster as a whole. With a bunch of young pieces playing pretty well (especially DeMar DeRozan and Amir Johnson), do the Raptors have a legitimate core to build upon for this postseason and the coming years? Or do they have an over-performing team destined to plateau, one that isn’t worth keeping together for a playoff run in light of the potential talent they could land in the draft?
Odds are, Ujiri has a firm grasp on his team’s talent and its value around the league, and has a strategy to match that. What do you think that strategy is? Will the Raptors blow up the roster as they look ahead, or hang on to what they have?
How Will The Raptors Operate This Trade Season?
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They won't do much, riding out the season with their current roster and re-evaluating this offseason. 58% (500)
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They will be buyers, taking a shot at a higher seed and deeper playoff experience while the East is weak. 24% (203)
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They will be sellers, accumulating more future assets to the detriment of this year's competitiveness. 18% (158)
Total votes: 861
Central Notes: Stephenson, Bulls
The Bulls have continued to win a surprising amount of games after trading Luol Deng to the Cavs. Taj Gibson told reporters, including K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune, he believes they can keep winning, even as they embark on a 6-game road trip against Western Conference opponents. Here are some other notes from the Central Division:
- While Lance Stephenson won’t hint much at his pending unrestricted free agency, his parents tell Mark Montieth of Pacers.com that they are optimistic he will stay with the Pacers. The guard, enjoying a breakout season, was told by team president Larry Bird that an extension was on the way. “I listened to Larry Bird (at the press conference to announce Paul George‘s long-term contract last summer) say, ‘Lance, you’ll be sitting here with your dad.’ That’s what we believe,” Stephenson’s father says. “Until otherwise, that’s the plan. Larry Bird said that and we bought into it. We believe it, Lance believes it.”
- Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf told WGN’s Rich King on Monday that the Bulls will sign Nikola Mirotic no later than the summer of 2015, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune transcribes. The Bulls own the rights to Mirotic, who is currently playing in Spain.
- Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders thinks that the Bulls would benefit from trading for Carmelo Anthony before the trade deadline. In a hypothetical trade package, Beer likes the idea of Chicago parting with Jimmy Butler, Carlos Boozer, Tony Snell, Kirk Hinrich and two draft picks to obtain Anthony, Iman Shumpert, and Raymond Felton. “A starting five of Derrick Rose, Iman Shumpert, Carmelo Anthony, Taj Gibson and Joakim Noah would be an awfully intriguing starting unit,” Beer explains. “Felton would serve as insurance for Rose, in case the former MVP has any hiccups in his return from injury. And once Rose is back and completely healthy, Felton would be a solid back-up point guard, and could also, at times, play alongside Rose in the same backcourt.”
Atlantic Notes: Rondo, Johnson, Nets
The Raptors have handed the Nets their only two losses in their last 12 games, with last night’s victory coming in exciting fashion off of a Patrick Patterson steal and basket in the final seconds. The Nets and Raptors are neck and neck atop the Atlantic Division, as the Knicks hope to continue inching back towards contention with a win against the Celtics tonight. Here’s some more from around the Atlantic:
- Several general managers would be “surprised” if Rajon Rondo were traded prior to the upcoming trade deadline, according to Ric Bucher of The Bleacher Report. Until he fully returns to form following his ACL surgery, they doubt the Celtics would be able to receive enough value in return.
- After the Celtics signed Chris Johnson to a second 10-day contract today, coach Brad Stevens tells Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald he first noticed Johnson in the preseason, when the small forward scored against the Celtics as a member of the Nets. Stevens says he values Johnson’s efficiency, as he’s scored 10 points per game in four games with the Celtics since signing his first 10-day contract earlier this month.
- Both Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are feeling and performing better of late, helping the Nets during a recent 10-2 stretch after a miserable start to the season, they tell Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. The pair credit their increased roles on a depleted roster as the reason for the improvement. “The difference in the way we’re playing is we were thinking secondary as we come in,” Garnett said. “Then Brook [Lopez gets hurt], Deron [Williams] has been beat up, and we’ve had to be primaries now. When you’re secondary, which [we were for] the first time in our careers, you take a step back. You’re not as forceful … you don’t want to step on everybody’s toes.
Beno Udrih Backs Off Trade Request
4:11pm: The Knicks feel the presence of Udrih may take playing time away from Toure’ Murry, and they wouldn’t mind receiving a second-round pick if they were to make a trade, Berman writes.
1:47pm: Udrih says he “wants to be here” and that his “first option” is to remain with the Knicks, Berman tweets, so it appears the point guard’s issues with Woodson and concerns about playing time aren’t too severe.
THURSDAY, 9:25am: Udrih isn’t applying undue pressure on the Knicks, and it’s not a foregone conclusion that he’ll be dealt, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post. Udrih’s agent, Marc Cornstein, was to set to speak with Knicks GM Steve Mills prior to last night’s game.
MONDAY, 7:58pm: Beno Udrih has asked for a trade from the Knicks, according to ESPN New York’s Ian Begley. The Knicks will attempt to honor the request, according to league sources. While the impetus for the request hasn’t been revealed, the backup point guard has had publicized issues with coach Mike Woodson in his first year with the team. The veteran has been disappointed in a lack of minutes alongside starting point guard Raymond Felton, a rotation he says was pitched to him as a free agent.
The twelfth-year veteran is averaging 19.9 MPG, his lowest total since the 2011/12 season, and his current PER of 12.7 is below his career average of 14.0. The cap hit for Udrih’s one-year contract is $884,293. It is unclear if there are any teams that would be in the market for a backup rotational guard like Udrih, and his small price tag would limit what kind of salary the Knicks could take back in return since they are already over the cap.
The Knicks have already generated a lot of buzz regarding their pursuit of another point guard in the wake of the team’s struggles and early injuries to Felton and Pablo Prigioni. Those pursuits have stalled–most notably the deal for Kyle Lowry that owner James Dolan reportedly nixed–but adding another guard would likely be a necessity if they are able to honor Udrih’s request to move on.
Poll: Which Hawk Is Most Likely To Be Traded?
The Hawks currently sit at 22-19, good for the third seed in the East. That seeding could hold up, but they are far from secure as a playoff team. Al Horford is gone for the season with a torn pectoral muscle, and the Hawks are only five games away from the nearest non-playoff team at the moment.
The Hawks own the better pick between theirs and the Nets for this upcoming draft, with the worse of the two picks heading to the Celtics. The Nets have been turning things around of late, and that pick (obtained through the Joe Johnson trade) is looking less like a lock for the lottery with every Brooklyn win. The Hawks very well could stay afloat in the dreadful Eastern Conference and gain playoff experience for a fairly young roster, with a chance to advance against atypically weak playoff competition in the East. If they slip, though, it could become tempting to unload some talent to a contender in exchange for assets and a better shot at a premium pick for this year’s hyped draft.
Some players worth a look:
- Paul Millsap: Millsap is working on one of the most tradable contracts in the league, with a modest $9.5MM cap hit each season of a short two-year deal, for a highly productive 28-year-old big man.
- Jeff Teague: After expressing a desire to leave the Hawks after an extended restricted free agency, the Hawks wound up matching the Bucks’ offer sheet to secure the point guard for $32MM over four years. The Hawks are developing rookie point guard Dennis Schröder, and former Sixth Man of the Year, Louis Williams, is playing his way back from an ACL injury as a point/shooting guard combo.
- Kyle Korver: Korver’s contract also stretches over four years, but the cap hit shrinks incrementally from $6.8MM this year to, eventually, $5.2 in the final year. Korver is a historically good three-point shooter, and there are usually contenders in the hunt for a scoring rotation piece as the season progresses.
- Al Horford: Horford has three years and $36MM left on his contract, and is sitting out this year due to the aforementioned pectoral injury. The Hawks had also turned away all trade proposals for the center at last report.
What do you think? Will the Hawks make any significant moves before the trade deadline, or hang on to their current foundation?
Which Hawk Is Most Likely To Be Traded?
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No one; they'll stand pat. 48% (745)
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Paul Millsap 21% (328)
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Jeff Teague 16% (256)
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Kyle Korver 10% (162)
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Al Horford 5% (77)
Total votes: 1,568
Odds & Ends: Wright, D-League
As All-Star Weekend approaches, ideas for improving the All-Star events always resurface. USA Today Sports asked multiple writers to pitch their ideas, which include a one-on-one tournament and a half-court shooting contest. Here are some notes from around the NBA:
- Dorell Wright wanted to join the Thunder this year, but ended up choosing the Trail Blazers because they offered a better contract, he tells Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK. “They couldn’t really do what Portland did for me as far as on the contract end,” Wright says. He decided against playing with former high school teammate Russell Westbrook and took Portland’s offer: “Maybe down in the future, I could probably play with Russ. But I’m pretty happy with the decision I made to come here to Portland.”
- Richard Howell has bought out his D-League contract with the Idaho Stampede, and will be signing on with the Talk ‘N Text team in the Philippines, per Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. Howell spent training camp with the Trail Blazers, but didn’t make the regular season roster and hasn’t played an NBA minute.
- The Cavs D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge, has acquired Ben Uzoh for a third round D-League draft pick from the Texas Legends, per Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Uzoh hasn’t played in the NBA since short stints with the Cavs and Raptors during the 2011/12 season.
Mavs Notes: Ledo, Free Agency
The Dirk Nowitzki-less Mavs had a tough loss tonight, blowing a 21-point lead to the Raptors while their star sat out for some scheduled rest. Some more notes from Dallas:
- The Mavs recalled guard Ricky Ledo from their D-League affilate Texas Legends, per Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com. Ledo has played 10 games with the Mavs this year, averaging just 3.3 MPG.
- Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News answered reader questions in a chat, writing that he expects the Mavs to “shoot for the moon” in free agency again this summer.
- In a chat of his own, Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News agrees. Sherrington says Omer Asik would be a great fit for the Mavs’ needs this year, but doesn’t envision owner Mark Cuban taking on his $14.9MM salary (only $8.4MM of which hits the salary cap) to preserve their flexibility heading into the offseason: “Cuban wants to save all the money he can to make a push for a free agent this summer.”
Pacific Notes: Plumlee, Green, Kings
Rudy Gay has been playing some of the best basketball of his career since joining the Kings, and DeMarcus Cousins has also been on a tear, so hopefully the injuries both suffered in tonight’s game aren’t devastating. Both went out and will not return, per Jason Friedman of Rockets.com (via Twitter). Here are some more notes from around the Pacific Division:
- The Suns have gone from a presumed tanker to playoff contenders. Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck details how Phoenix has stayed competitive with a roster built for the future, even after losing breakout guard Eric Bledsoe to injury. The positive outlook still extends to the future: “The Suns could have six first-round picks over the next two drafts, including four this June. They could have $30 million to spend on free agents this summer, and more in 2015. Their rookie head coach, Jeff Hornacek, is the leading candidate for Coach of the Year.”
- A big part of the Suns‘ sooner-than-expected success has come from the additions of Miles Plumlee and Gerald Green, and Matt Peterson of Suns.com credits Phoenix GM Ryan McDonough for swinging the smart trade that landed those two players and a pick from the Pacers for Luis Scola.
- Kings rookie Ray McCallum benefited from the team’s use of the D-League while spending time with the Reno Bighorns before his recent call up, writes The Sacramento Bee’s Jason Jones. The Kings designate specific developmental areas for players sent down, working with the Reno coaching staff to ensure those areas are focused on. “For him to go down there and get minutes was well needed,” coach Mike Malone says. “And I think if there’s an opportunity for him to play during the rest of the season, he definitely will.”
Atlantic Notes: Woodson, Brown, Noel
While the Knicks have returned to their losing ways of late, the Nets appear to be stabilizing as a winning team. Star point guard Deron Williams credits Jason Kidd‘s development as a coach for the change, per Stefan Bondy of New York Daily News. “I think since [former assistant coach Frank Lawrence] has left…He was leaning on (Frank) a lot,” Williams said of Kidd. “Now I think he’s coaching the way he wants to and doing things the way he wants to so that’s what you’re seeing.” Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York thinks that Knicks head coach Mike Woodson could soon be back on the hot seat, wondering if he has lost the locker room during their current four-game losing streak. He has been at odds with multiple players, most recently with star center Tyson Chandler.
- Tommy Beer of Basketball Insiders thinks that it’s time for the Knicks to trade away both Carmelo Anthony and Tyson Chandler, citing the team’s mediocrity and the salary burden that could come with Melo even if he did re-sign with New York. Since the team would likely have to give a max contract under his Bird Rights, they would be committing to over $26MM a year for one player through his early thirties. Beer thinks a wiser course is to get something in return for him now, struggle for two years (the Knicks have their 2015 draft pick, but not their 2014 pick) and maintain large cap space heading into the potentially huge free agent market of 2015.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown used the time afforded by the team’s lengthy coaching search to research the job and ponder whether he wanted to take it, as he tells Grantland’s Zach Lowe. Brown also says he sees “Ryan Anderson-type” stretch power forwards as a lasting innovation.
- Brett Brown also said that it’s possible that Sixers rookie Nerlens Noel, who they took 6th overall in last year’s draft, could miss the rest of the season despite recently gaining medical clearance to play, per Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “I mean, anything’s possible,” says Brown. “I mean at this stage, we’re moving forward and he’s doing a good job.”