Paul Allen Discusses Trail Blazers’ Season
Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen posted his thoughts and feelings regarding the franchise's past season on the team's website on Tuesday. Here are some of the highlights:
Allen addressed the team's decision to part ways with head coach Nate McMillan during the season and described it as a need for significant change.
On March 15, Larry, Chad and I agreed we needed big changes, including replacing Coach Nate McMillan with assistant coach Kaleb Canales. I'm not a big fan of changing head coaches midseason. It's something that happened only three times before in Blazer history.
I want to thank Nate again for all he did for the team and for the city of Portland, and for the class he showed in his departure. I appreciate Nate saying that we had always given him the tools he needed to do his job. That's been an important principle for me in all the years I've owned the Blazers, and I remain committed to doing the same in the future.
Allen went on to discuss the team's plans for the offseason including free agency and the draft.
… We also own three or four picks in what is looking to be a talent-rich draft pool.
Going into next season, it's a priority for us to improve defensively, to play better and more consistently, and to win on the road.
One thing we are not going to do is to spend money like there is no tomorrow, and calls to do so just don't make sense. I've tried that path before — it doesn't work and is not sustainable. We will follow a judicious and sustainable path going forward.
Allen alluded to his future with the team and how he does not have plans to sell the franchise any time soon.
By talking about the future of the Blazers, I know it will raise questions about my continued ownership of the team. Let me be clear and repeat what I've said before: The team is not for sale. I'm working hard to get this team back on track. No offers have been made to buy the team and none have been solicited.
As I told reporters in the Rose Garden in December, there could come a time when I decide to sell the Trail Blazers. Many factors would go into that decision, including my health, the team's economics, and the progress I can see on the court. (On the first item: I'm feeling good these days and have remained in remission for two years.)
Sefko On Terry, Nash, Haywood, Draft
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News held an in-depth chat with Mavs fans earlier on Tuesday and answered countless questions related to the team's plans for the offseason. Here are some of the highlights.
- Look for Jason Terry to return to Mavs as the team's sixth man next season instead of signing elsewhere during free agency. Terry provides the team with instant offense off the bench and is most effective when surrounded with quality players. The only way he won't be wearing blue and white next season is if some team offers him an oversized contract and his family is comfortable with the move.
- There hasn't been much conversation about soon-to-be free agent Steve Nash returning to the Mavs this offeason. While fans would like to see Nash reunited with Dirk Nowitzki, the pairing wasn't especially successful the first time around. The decision to add Nash to the mix would make more sense once additional pieces have been acquired to help bolster the current roster.
- The Mavs will likely use their amnesty provision to rid themselves of Brendan Haywood before they make their first free-agent signing. Haywood, 32, is under contract through the 2014/2015 season and is owed approximately $22.2MM. The former UNC star averaged 5.2 PPG and 6.0 RPG in 54 appearances (all starts) with the Mavs this past season.
- Dallas deserves more credit for the success they've enjoyed in the draft given where they typically make their picks (toward the end of the rounds). While the players selected haven't always stayed in Dallas for long, they have been used in trades to acquire key players such as Jason Kidd.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Jeremy Lin
The story of Jeremy Lin has been told countless times over the course of the 2011/2012 season. From going undrafted coming out of Harvard in 2010 to starring for the Knicks after being waived twice prior to the start of the season, Lin's young career has been an emotional roller coaster of extreme highs and incredible lows in just two short years. With the star point guard seemingly sidelined for the remainder of the playoffs due to a torn meniscus, Lin will enter the offseason as a restricted free agent.
A quick look at Lin's numbers, while a limited sample size, reveal a developing star who would be a welcome addition to any team's backcourt. Lin played in 35 games with the Knicks during the 2011/2012 season in which he started 25 contests. The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 14.6 PPG and 6.2 APG after signing with the Knicks on December 27. Heading into his third season, Lin will look to hold onto the ball with more care after averaging 3.6 turnovers per game with the Knicks.
Lin's value goes beyond his contributions at the point guard position as he is a dream for any team's marketing staff. As an intelligent individual with deep religious convictions, similar to the NFL's Tim Tebow, Lin became an instant fan favorite with the Madison Square Garden crowd. He also demonstrated burgeoning leadership ability that unified a fractured team and was quickly respected by his teammates including veterans Tyson Chandler and Carmelo Anthony. Thanks to jersey and t-shirt sales associated with "Linsanity," Madison Square Garden saw merchandise profits increase in the single-digit millions.
The Knicks will be afforded a strong opportunity to retain Lin thanks to changes to what teams can offer restricted free agents with fewer than three years in the league. Dubbed the "Gilbert Arenas provision," teams looking to compete with the Knicks for Lin's services cannot offer more than the mid-level exception for the first year of a new contract. This will allow for the Knicks to be able to match any offer made by another team looking to steal Lin away from MSG. The Knicks will seemingly look to sign Lin for more than one season as Lin would once again become a restricted free agent in 2013 in which the Knicks would only be protected by holding Lin's Early Bird Rights.
Re-signing Lin should still allow the Knicks to be able to retain Landry Fields, who is also slated to become a restricted free agent this offseason. Fields' performance in his second season could be described as a disappointment after enjoying a surprisingly successful rookie campaign with the Knicks. The former Stanford star saw his points per game decrease (9.7 to 8.8) as well as his rebounds per game (6.4 to 4.2) while averaging nearly three minutes less per contest.
Unless the Knicks attempt to sign Steve Nash (unlikely) as a prerequisite for Phil Jackson coming on board (even less likely), look for Lin to be wearing orange and blue this October.
Stan Van Gundy’s Future In Orlando
The Magic take on the Pacers this evening in what could potentially be Stan Van Gundy's final game as the team's head coach. HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler predicts Van Gundy will lose his job shortly after the team finishes its season. This isn't necessarily a bad thing for Van Gundy, writes Kyler, as the Magic and SVG may both benefit from parting ways this offseason.
Van Gundy's looming dismissal has little to do with his coaching ability but rather represents the beleaguered franchise's lone chance to win favor with Dwight Howard as he enters the final year of his contract with the team. Howard's disdain toward Van Gundy has been made clear over the course of the season, leaving the Magic front office with little choice but to appease its superstar in hopes of improving the team's chances of re-signing him in 2013. Simply put, a very good coach is replaceable in the NBA but a superstar talent like Howard is not.
Since becoming head coach in 2007, Van Gundy has won 259 regular season games with the Magic, a number that will make him an attractive candidate to teams looking for a new head coach. Van Gundy has also enjoyed success in the postseason as he's taken the Magic to the Eastern Conference Finals twice during his tenure in Orlando along with an appearance in the NBA Finals against the Lakers in 2009. While it's unlikely that Van Gundy would be interested in turning around the Bobcats' fortunes, he may be a good fit for the Trail Blazers.
Replacing Van Gundy won't be an easy task for the Magic, but there are a few viable options for Orlando to consider this offseason. If the team is looking for an experienced head coach with a track record of success, then they should consider hiring Nate McMillan, writes Kyler. Patrick Ewing, who is a candidate for the Bobcats' opening, would be better off staying in Orlando if the team looks to stay in-house and seamlessly transition from the Van Gundy regime.
USA Basketball Given Olympic Roster Extension
USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo was granted an extension to name his final 12-man roster for the Olympics by the United States Olympic Committee, reports Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. With injuries decimating the pool of 20 finalists, Colangelo will have until July 8 instead of June 18 to submit his list of players who will be representing the United States in London this summer. Colangelo said health will be a major factor in determining which players are selected for Team USA.
"We don't want anyone who's not healthy," Colangelo said. "We put a great deal of emphasis on the health of our players for all the obvious reasons. As has always been in the past, we're very, very careful with the workout sessions and the demand. We control that to the way it should be controlled, and we've had zero issues with injuries while they've been with us or after they've been with us."
James Harden and Anthony Davis were recently added to the list of finalists in the wake of Derrick Rose's season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament and Dwight Howard's surgery on his back to repair a herniated disk. Beyond Rose and Howard, Chauncey Billups (torn Achilles tendon) and LaMarcus Aldridge (right hip) are also unavailable for the Olympics. Dwyane Wade, one of Team USA's strongest contributors in Beijing, recently mentioned that he may not be available to play in London unless his health is at 100%.
Mavs Notes: Odom, Mahinmi, Kidd, Williams
There's been plenty of news out of Dallas today after the defending champion Mavs were swept out of the playoffs by the Thunder. Let's round up what we've heard today, with the latest news on top:
- Mavs players decided not to give Lamar Odom a share of the nearly $282K in playoff money the team earned in its first round loss to the Thunder, reports Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
- Ian Mahinmi probably isn't atop the lengthy offseason to-do list of the Mavs, but the unrestricted free agent center says he'd like to return to Dallas, according to Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com (Twitter link).
- Despite speculation to the contrary, Jason Kidd says he won't have any influence on where fellow free agent Deron Williams signs, but Shawn Marion has a to-the-point recruiting message he hopes will inspire the Nets point guard to come to Dallas, as Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes.
- Jason Kidd plans to continue his career with the Mavs and hopes that he can recruit Deron Williams to join him and Nowitzki in Dallas, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. There is speculation, though, that Kidd will sign wherever Williams ends up even if that means returning to the Nets organization in Brooklyn. Kidd and Williams share the same agent in Jeff Schwartz, which would seemingly make negotiations easier.
- Jon Machota of The Dallas Morning News says Nowitzki wants the Mavs to sign players that can create their own shots and do something dynamic on the court like the Thunder's Big 3. "We need some guys that can make plays for themselves," Nowitzki said. "That's pretty obvious. If you look at all the top teams now, they have at least two-three guys they can throw the ball to and they do their thing."
- Jason Terry may have played his last game for the Mavs after spending eight seasons with the team, reports Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com. The former Arizona star is set to become a free agent for the first time in his career and will explore his options before settling on a new home. Terry, 34, was traded to Dallas in 2004 by the Hawks after spending five seasons in Atlanta where he was the team's first-round pick in 1999.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Jason Terry
With the Mavs left to watch the remainder of the playoffs from the comfort of their homes, Jason Terry's future with the team remains up in the air. Having spent eight seasons with the Mavs and winning an NBA championship last season, Terry will have to decide if he wants to return to Dallas, sign with another contender or attempt to secure one last sizable paycheck from the highest bidder. The former Arizona star remains a viable offensive option even as he turns 35 this September after a season in which he averaged 15.1 PPG and 3.6 APG.
There's a lot to like about Terry beyond just the points that he will provide at the shooting guard position. While he's advancing in age, Terry has stayed healthy practically his entire career as he's never played less than 74 games in a non-lockout season over his 13 years in the league. Terry's also a solid defender who has the ability to create points on the defensive end of the court by stealing the ball (1.3 SPG over the course of his career) and playing high-energy defense. He made over $11MM this past season but should be willing to accept a sizable decrease in salary with adding another ring to his collection taking precedent over the size of his paycheck.
Terry is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer and will seemingly have a variety of options to choose from as he enters the twilight of his career. There's a chance the Mavs attempt to re-sign him, but owner Mark Cuban will more likely focus his attention on luring Deron Williams to Dallas and keeping Jason Kidd in blue and white to back him up. If Cuban does want to bring Terry back it would be at a price lower than market value to an already-aging roster that requires serious upgrading after being swept by the Thunder.
Terry spoke on Saturday after the team's Game 4 loss to the Thunder and addressed his future with the Mavs. "You know we like to make changes year-in and year-out, but not a complete overhaul," Terry said. "That’s what this is going to be, an entire different ballclub I would expect. But, the formula is there, the formula’s there. We set the bar very high last year with what we did and what we accomplished. They know the formula and it’s on them to put it back together."
Earlier in the year there was speculation that Terry would be heading to the Heat to provide depth to a suspect bench. While Terry would potentially be a good fit in Miami, the Heat lack the cap space to sign him unless he is willing to take a significant pay cut to take his talents to South Beach. The Heat's involvement with Terry will depend on how they fare over the course of playoffs. If they win the championship, it becomes less likely that they would seriously consider signing Terry. Conversely, if the Heat's bench fails to provide the Big Three the support they need to win a ring, then look for Miami to at least engage Terry's agent in preliminary conversation about a contract.
Beyond the Mavs and the Heat, Terry's options vary depending on the role that teams want the veteran to assume on their respective rosters. Terry has enjoyed success as a starter as well as while the sixth man on a championship team. Jet is only 6-foot-2 but has the quickness to create his own shot off the dribble and can even play the point guard position if necessary. Beyond age and decreasing offensive productivity, Terry has been known as a streaky shooter throughout his tenure in the NBA and will presumably become even more so as his career winds down.
Whatever team ends up with Terry can expect 25 to 30 minutes per game with 13 to 15 points per contest. He is a proven winner with experience thriving in a locker room full of superstars and big personalities. Look for Terry to land with a contending team in search of a missing piece to make a championship run.
Top 5 New Additions For Playoff Contenders
Many of the teams currently in the playoffs made key offseason or trade deadline acquisitions with hopes of enjoying postseason success well into June. Some have fared well while others have flopped. Here are the top five playoff contributors who have filed for a change of address in the past year.
- Bulls: With an increased workload in the playoffs, Richard Hamilton has been effective for the Bulls over the first three games against the Sixers. The former Pistons shooting guard has averaged 30.3 minutes per game which has brought an increased offensive output along the lines of 15.3 PPG and 5.3 APG. The Bulls will continue to look to rely on Hamilton's hot hand with Derrick Rose sidelined for the rest of the season and Joakim Noah out for Sunday's game with an injured ankle.
- Heat: Former Duke star Shane Battier has been a defensive stalwart in the playoffs for Miami especially in Game 3 where he shut down Knicks star Carmelo Anthony. While the former Rockets small forward failed to score any points of his own, he kept Anthony to 22 points, which the former Syracuse star had to work for as he shot 7-23. Battier contributed offensively in the first two games of the series where he averaged 9.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG.
- Pacers: The Pacers have gotten vintage play out of David West in three of their first four games against the Magic. West, who signed with the Pacers in the offseason, has averaged 16.8 PPG and 10.0 RPG during the playoffs this season. Indiana will look to close out the series with a win against the Magic at home on Tuesday.
- Lakers: Looking to upgrade the team's aging backcourt, the Lakers acquired Ramon Sessions from the Cavs at the trade deadline. Sessions has proven his mettle thus far in the playoffs with strong play at the point guard position. The former Nevada star is currently averaging 14.3 PPG and 5.0 APG through three games against the Nuggets.
- Clippers: After willing his team to a stunning comeback victory over the Grizzlies in Game 1, Chris Paul has led the Clippers to a 2-1 lead in the series heading into Monday night's game in Los Angeles. Acquired in the offseason by the Clippers, Paul put up MVP-like numbers during the regular season and has continued to elevate his level of play during the playoffs. The former Wake Forest star is averaging 22.3 PPG and 9.3 APG through three games.
Woodson’s Future Not So Bright In New York
To say Knicks interim head coach Mike Woodson's squad has struggled during the first round of the playoffs against the Heat would surely be an understatement. From injuries on the court (Iman Shumpert) to injuries off the court (Amare Stoudemire), the Knicks have been playing with a battered roster that was already depleted during the regular season when Linsanity came to an abrupt end in early April. While the injuries are arguably beyond Woodson's control, the former Hawks head coach has repeatedly failed to field a competitive team in each of the Knicks' three contests against the Heat, making a return to the bench in October highly unlikely.
There's no denying the fact that the Heat have more superstars on their roster than the Knicks with the likes of the Big Three dominating the court on a nightly basis. However, that does not mean the Knicks are excused for putting together a perfunctory approach where they are letting up points in bunches and failing to execute any semblance of an offensive game plan. The responsibility of motivating players and getting the most out of their talents falls upon the shoulders of the team's coaching staff and most importantly, Woodson. Simply put, Woodson has been unable to fulfill this obligation each night the Knicks have gone to battle with the Heat.
Woodson did a tremendous job of re-establishing a defensive-minded culture at MSG upon taking over for Mike D'Antoni in March and in turn, leading the team to an 18-6 record to finish the regular season. Tyson Chandler's Defensive Player of the Year award should be partially credited to how Woodson maximized his talents when there were so many defensive liabilities surrounding him in the starting lineup. Woodson helped Carmelo Anthony once again become an offensive threat by moving him to the power forward position when Stoudemire was hurt, which helped make a terrible trade look a little bit more palatable.
Look back at Woodson's tenure in Atlanta and you'll find a head coach who went from a 13-69 record in his first season to 53-29 in his sixth. He improved the team's record each season in which he was the head coach, taking the Hawks to the playoffs in each of his final three seasons with the franchise. But that wasn't enough for the team's front office as they focused more on his inability to convert regular season success into a sustained run in the playoffs. Sure, 50+ wins pre-April 30 is great, but going 11-18 in the playoffs is the easiest way to find oneself working at the four-letter network come October.
Woodson's track record dictates that he can build a winner and get the most from his team during the months of October through April, but he has failed to show the creativity, wherewithal and poise to enjoy success when it counts most. Many franchises would be fortunate to have Woodson as a head coach and a team or two will surely come calling to express interest in his services when the season comes to an end in June. That team, however, will not be the New York Knicks.
Odds & Ends: Magic, Trail Blazers, Cavaliers
With Sunday afternoon's playoff action already underway, let's catch up on the latest news and headlines from around the league.
- FoxSportsOhio.com's Sam Amico writes why he believes the Cavaliers are headed in the right direction.
- Mike Tokito from The Oregonian gives a by the numbers rundown of the Trail Blazers and what they'll have to work with this offseason.
- The Magic's upset victory over the Pacers wasn't fueled by the team's desire to prove to Dwight Howard that they could win without him, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel. Instead, the team is focusing on what they can control and attempting to eliminate any outside distractions that may keep them from achieving their goal of winning playoff basketball games. "We're not here to prove anything about Dwight," Hedo Turkoglu said. "He's our best player and we wish he were here. But we can't think about that. We have to accept who we are right now, move on and play our best."
- SI.com's Sam Amick says USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo is reconsidering adding players to the roster of Olympic team finalists after Derrick Rose tore his ACL on Saturday against the Sixers. While the loss of Rose weakens the point guard position, Colangelo is confident that the team has a deep enough backcourt to overcome his absence. Amick points to DeMarcus Cousins as a potential addition to the list of finalists after enjoying a season in which he averaged 18.1 PPG and 11.0 RPG for the Kings.
- The Grizzlies have put together a dangerous playoff team using a combination of discarded parts, role players and overachievers, contends Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. From Marc Gasol, acquired in a salary dump for his brother, to Tony Allen, not considered a highly-attractive free agent due to a perceived limited skill-set, the Grizzlies have seemingly come out of nowhere to take the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoffs. "They played to their strengths," Grizzlies head coach Lionel Hollins said. "It's usually the best team that wins. Good basketball teams are good whether they have people noted as stars or not.
- Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld wonders if the Bulls can still contend in the Eastern Conference playoffs after losing their star point guard for the remainder of the season. As the team managed an 18-9 record without Rose during the regular season, Brigham says the Bulls still may advance beyond the second round in what would be a matchup against either the Celtics or the Hawks. The journey would end, however, in the Eastern Conference Finals if the Bulls have to face the Heat.