Western Notes: Hornets, Salary Cap, Bryant
The Suns set themselves back in what was once a four-team race for the two remaining playoff spots in the Western Conference by falling at home to the Nuggets, who are now playoff-bound with the win. The Jazz, left to compete with the Suns and the Rockets for the final spot, take on the Dwight Howard-less Magic in Salt Lake City later tonight. Let's check in with the rest of the conference to see what else is making headlines on this Saturday evening.
- Hornets head coach Monty Williams plans to give his younger players more playing time in team's final three games of the season, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune. Williams hopes the extra minutes will give players such as forward Gustavo Ayon and guard Greivis Vasquez an extensive opportunity to work on fundamentals in an in-game setting rather than practice. The Hornets may be able to get a better sense of their myriad roster needs with a potentially busy offseason looming as the team looks to rebound from an especially trying season.
- Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld considers the best and worst case salary cap scenarios for all of the teams in the Western Conference heading into the offseason.
- Kobe Bryant and Steve Blake vocally demonstrated their support for current National Basketball Players Association president Derek Fisher as he faces scrutiny for demanding an independent audit of the union's business practices, reports The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry. “What’s wrong with doing an audit?” Bryant asked. “I’m very curious about that. Extremely. We all should be.” Blake, the Lakers' player representative, reiterated Bryant's sentiments by expressing his confidence in Fisher's leadership skills both on and off the court.
Odds & Ends: Draft, Brown, Cavs, Okur
With the first of Saturday evening's eight games already underway, let's catch up on the latest news and happenings from around the league.
- Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times checks in with four different scouts to get a better picture of how the top-10 picks of the NBA draft will unfold come June. While all four agreed Kentucky's Anthony Davis was the sure-fire top pick in the draft, the group was split between Davis' former teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Kansas forward Thomas Robinson as the player most likely to be selected second. Among the surprise names listed as a potential top-10 pick included Duke freshman guard Austin Rivers, who is projected by most experts to hear his name called in the mid-teens.
- Newly-minted SMU head coach Larry Brown recently offered some unsolicited advice to Bobcats owner Michael Jordan about the way he runs his franchise in an interview with NBA.com. Brown said that while he enjoyed working for Jordan thanks to the former Bulls star having high expectations for his team, he was not happy with how Jordan surrounded himself with people too afraid to challenge him. The Bobcats have currently lost 19 consecutive games and need to win one more to avoid having the lowest winning percentage in NBA history.
- Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer ponders how the city of Cleveland will handle the Cavaliers struggling yet again next season if the team continues to follow the Oklahoma City model of rebuilding a roster through top-five selections in the draft.
- The Celtics and Bulls were reportedly among a group of playoff-bound teams who inquired about the availability of Mehmet Okur in hopes of strengthening their frontcourt, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Okur, 32, started the season with the Nets before being dealt at the trade deadline to the Blazers along with Shawne Williams and a 2012 first-round draft pick (top-three protected) in exchange for swingman Gerald Wallace. The Blazers released Okur on March 21 due to the fact that the Turkish big man's back trouble would seemingly keep him out of action through June.
Odds & Ends: Boykins, Sixers, Frank, Heat
Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings from around the league as Sunday's afternoon action gets underway…
- Mark Berman of FOX 26 Sports reports the Rockets have signed Earl Boykins for the remainder of the season.
- The Sixers have reached the do-or-die moment of the season where they are fighting for their playoff lives, writes John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press says Pistons head coach Lawrence Frank is excited for his young players to have the opportunity to further their leadership skills during the NBA Summer League.
- Changes may be coming for the Heat depending on how the team does during the playoffs, suggests Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- According to an official press release from the Cavs, the team has assigned Luke Harangody to the Canton Charge of the D-League after appearing in Saturday night's victory over the Wizards.
- There was no way NBA commissioner David Stern was going to let the city of New Orleans lose another professional basketball team, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.
- Frank DiGiacomo of the New York Daily News says Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov fully supports forward Kris Humphries as the Russian billionaire ripped rapper Kanye West for stating in a song that he could get Nets minority owner Jay-Z to cut Humphries from the team.
Sessions Looking For Long-Term Lakers Deal
Lakers point guard Ramon Sessions is expected to decline a player option for $4.6MM and become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season with hopes of returning to Los Angeles on a long-term deal, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Sessions said that he feels like he has been given an opportunity with the Lakers to show the NBA what he's capable of doing as a starting point guard, something that he hasn't been afforded in other stops along his career.
"It's crazy. My whole career, there's never been a point where I kind of had control," he said. "Now I've got control."
After leaving school early and barely being drafted in 2007 by the Bucks, Sessions struggled to prove that he had the talent to become an impact player in the NBA. From injuries to stints in the D-League to backing up veterans, Sessions often found himself questioning if he would ever make something of himself in the NBA. While he never enjoyed sustained success in any of his myriad stops before arriving in Los Angeles, Sessions showed flashes of brilliance with a Bucks team-record 24 assists in a game his rookie year and a 44-point outburst against the Pistons during his second season.
The former Nevada star was acquired from the Cavs at the trade deadline and has provided the Lakers with a youthful spark as the team's new starting point guard after trading Derek Fisher to the Rockets. Sessions, 26, has been a major reason why the Lakers are currently the third seed in the Western Conference with his 13.1 PPG and 7.1 APG since arriving in Los Angeles. Given his strong level of play and a chance to showcase his talents during the playoffs, Sessions will command a great deal of attention during free agency if he can't strike a deal with the Lakers.
Cavs Notes: Hudson, Draft, Varejao
The struggling Cavs host the Dwight Howard-less Magic this afternoon as another season of struggles winds down for Byron Scott's club. One of the few bright spots has been rookie Kyrie Irving, who has shown flashes of brilliance after being selected with the top pick in last year's draft. Let's head to Cleveland to check up on the latest news and happenings with the Cavs.
- Bob Finnan of The News-Herald thinks the Cavs may have found another D-League success story in Lester Hudson, who has been a strong contributor of late and may find himself on the roster next season. With his ability to play both guard positions even with his limited size (slightly taller than six feet), the former Tennessee-Martin star has provided a spark for the Cavs and even had team owner Dan Gilbert calling his success, "Lesanity" on Twitter. In 10 games with the Cavs, Hudson has averaged an eye-opening 19.6 PPG, 6.0 RPG and 4.7 APG.
- Look for the Cavs to add an offensively-minded wing player and another shooting guard either through the draft or free agency this offseason, writes Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer.
- Reed ponders what it would take for the Cavs to deal Anderson Varejao considering how his level of play will likely diminish once the team's core of young players is ready to contend. The Blazers could be a good match as a trade partner as they currently hold two 2012 lottery picks. Giving up one of them would be enough to send the former first-round pick to Portland as the deal would provide the Cavs yet another young player to add to their youth movement.
Mavs Notes: Playoffs, Carlisle, Kidd
The Mavs take on the Lakers at the Staples Center later this afternoon in a matchup with playoff seeding on the line for the two Western Conference rivals. Unfortunately for the Mavs, the Lakers have played well even with an injured Kobe Bryant on the shelf as players like Andrew Bynum and Matt Barnes have taken their game to the next level in their superstar's absence. Let's check in with the Mavs to find out what's making headlines with the reigning NBA champions.
- Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com says the chances of the Mavs missing the playoffs has become highly unlikely as other contenders faltered in important contests on Saturday night. Caplan predicts the Mavs will take the sixth seed which would mean Sunday afternoon's battle against the Lakers could potentially be a preview of the first round of the playoffs. If the Mavs somehow collapse and fail to secure a playoff spot, it would mark the first time a reigning champion missed the postseason since the Bulls in 1999.
- While he won't be taking home any hardware for his coaching performance this season, Mavs head coach Rick Carlisle has successfully handled a difficult season, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News (subscribers only). From losing six players off of a championship-winning squad to the Lamar Odom debacle, Carlisle has been able to keep his team focused on winning basketball games amidst myriad setbacks.
- Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram says a healthy Jason Kidd has been a major reason why the Mavs can now breathe a little more easily about their hopes for the playoffs. With Kidd dealing with a strained right groin, the Mavs went 1-3 and fear set in surrounding their chances of making the playoffs. While he'll be in the starting lineup today against the Lakers, the Mavs plan to periodically rest Kidd over the remainder season with hopes of keeping the future Hall of Famer fresh for the playoffs.
Knicks Notes: Atlantic, Heat, Shumpert, Woodson
On a Sunday chock full of NBA action, let's first head to Madison Square Garden to check in on the latest news from the Knicks.
- While some pundits question if the Knicks will even make the playoffs, the team has its sights on stealing the Atlantic Division title from the Celtics, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Knicks head coach Mike Woodson wants his players hungry and believing in themselves that they can make up the three games that separate the Knicks and the Celtics in the standings. The Knicks are 9-0 at home since Woodson took over as the interim head coach of the team on March 14th and would be the fourth seed in the playoffs if they win the Atlantic.
- Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News says the Heat would face the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs if the season ended today but do not view them as an easy opponent. Lawrence contends LeBron James has too much respect for Carmelo Anthony as a player to publicly dismiss the Knicks' chances of giving the Heat a competitive series. The Heat head to the Garden Sunday afternoon in their lone Manhattan appearance of the season.
- Knicks rookie Iman Shumpert sat down with New York Post columnist Steve Serby and expressed his confidence in the Knicks with the playoffs looming. Not only does Shumpert believe the Knicks will make the playoffs, but the former Georgia Tech star expects his team will be able to compete with the Heat if the two teams are matched up against each other in the first round. In what proves to be a compelling interview, Shumpert discusses his love for defense and what it's like to guard some of the top players in the league.
- Mike Lupica of the New York Daily News makes the argument that Mike Woodson should remain the head coach of the Knicks heading into next season given his body of work. He's led the team to a 13-4 record since taking over the team and has gotten more out of beleaguered superstar Carmelo Anthony than Knicks fans ever thought possible. Lupica says Woodson has held the team accountable and developed a sound defensive system that was non-existent under former head coach Mike D'Antoni.
Top 5 Offseason Acquisitions Of 2011/2012
While not all trades or free-agent signings work out as planned (right, Lamar?), an offseason addition can mean the difference between making the playoffs and spending late spring on an early vacation. Whether a player provides MVP-like numbers or veteran leadership to a youthful squad, adding the right player to the right team can prove to be a difficult process. Let's look at the top five offseason acquisitions of the 2011/2012 and see how these players impacted their respective teams.
- Chris Paul: Almost landing with the other Los Angeles team, Paul has done wonders for the Clippers as the squad has solidified its standing as one of the best in the Western Conference. The former Wake Forest star has given the youthful team an identity while improving the play of his teammates, especially young big men Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan. With averages of 19.3 PPG and 8.9 APG, Paul is among the top contenders for league MVP.
- Tyson Chandler: After helping the Mavericks take the NBA title last season, Chandler landed with the Knicks after it became clear the squad wasn't going to be able to land Paul or Dwight Howard. Brought in to provide a big body in the paint and championship experience, Chandler has exceeded all expectations with his quality of play and locker room leadership. While factors outside of Chandler's control have kept the Knicks from achieving their lofty preseason goals, the team could still make some noise in the playoffs as the seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference.
- Jeremy Lin*: Technically acquired after the start of the season (two days after Christmas), Lin captivated the basketball world with a dynamic style of play during the month of February. The undrafted former Harvard star struggled in his first season as a member of the Warriors before going on to average 14.6 PPG and 6.1 APG in 35 appearances with the Knicks. Unfortunately for Lin, his season came to an early end when he had surgery on April 3rd to repair a torn meniscus.
- Shane Battier: Not known for his ability to score 20 points in a game or grab double-digit rebounds, Battier has made a living in the NBA by playing highly-effective basketball. The former Duke star has provided exceptional defense to a Heat squad loaded with offensive firepower. As his value to his team doesn't always show up in the box score, Battier must be judged beyond his 4.8 PPG and 2.3 RPG with the Heat.
- Brandon Bass: With sincere apologies to David West, the Celtics' trade with the Magic to rid themselves of Glen Davis netted them arguably the fifth-best acquisition of the entire 2011/2012 offseason. Originally slotted to provide the Celtics' second unit with depth and a youthful spark off the bench, Bass' role quickly shifted when injuries plagued the team's roster. Given the opportunity to start regularly for the first time in his career, Bass has responded with 12.3 PPG and 6.1 RPG as the squad's starting power forward.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Kings, Suns
The playoff-bound Clippers knocked off the Warriors by the score of 112-104 in Saturday's early action. Led by 28 points and 13 assists from MVP candidate Chris Paul, the Clippers moved to within one game of the idle Lakers for the division lead and the third seed in the playoffs. Here's the latest news and happenings from around the Pacific Division.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com says that while the Lakers aren't the favorites to make it out of the Western Conference this season but nothing would surprise him given the way the team has played this season. Moore says the Lakers have looked like a team that could win the NBA title this season while just as easily ending as a squad that gets pummeled come playoff time. A healthy Andrew Bynum has given the Lakers a franchise center but the fate of the squad rests on head coach Mike Brown's shoulders and the game plan he draws up going forward.
- While the Sacramento arena deal is seemingly dead at the moment, Kings co-owner George Maloof would be willing to restart negotiations if Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson removed himself from the process, writes J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today. According to Falgoust, Maloof is unhappy with how Johnson has treated Maloof and the rest of his family members and how Johnson has portrayed the family publicly. "We're disappointed in comments made by the mayor that we feel were shots to us that were unfair and not truthful."
- Paul Coro of The Republic considers the Suns' chances for making the playoffs now that they have finished the most difficult part of their closing schedule. With three spots in the Western Conference up for grabs, the Suns have an opportunity to make up lost ground as they play five of their next six games at home. If the team comes up short, it would make the second straight season in which the Suns missed the playoffs.
Eastern Notes: Raptors, James, Green
With the Bulls and the Heat staking claim to the top two seeds, the rest of the Eastern Conference playoff picture remains up in the air as the season winds down. The Celtics, currently the fourth seed, are in action tonight against the lottery-bound Nets while the Pacers, a surprising three seed at the moment, battle the Bucks, still in the mix as the ninth seed. Let's check in with the rest of the conference to see what other stories are making headlines.
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld considers what the Raptors should do as a franchise after suffering through a disappointing season. Team general manager Bryan Colangelo has cleared a great deal of cap space to build around the team's young talent but still has many holes to fill heading into next season. Brotherston identifies Steve Nash as a potential free-agent signing for the Raptors that would provide the team with a buzzworthy star they have been lacking the past few seasons.
- It may have taken awhile, but LeBron James and his family have finally reached a level of comfort where they feel at home in Miami, writes Ethan J. Skolnick of the Palm Beach Post. The former Cavs superstar may not know how to speak Spanish or how to get around Miami without a GPS, but James is enjoying being able to raise his two sons in South Florida for the majority of the year. James' affinity for Florida living has positively impacted his game as he is currently averaging 26.8 PPG and 7.9 RPG on the season.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of Comcast SportsNet tweets Gerald Green would prefer to re-sign with the Nets, but would consider signing with the Celtics. Green, originally taken in the first round of the 2005 draft by Boston, had been out of the league since the 2008/2009 season before signing the first of two 10-day contracts with the Nets in February, where he has made the most of his opportunity. The forward from Gulf Shores Academy in Houston should attract significant attention this summer given his 13.0 PPG and 3.3 RPG in 25 games with the Nets.