Odds & Ends: Kevin Martin, Kenyon Martin, Celtics
With the NBA trading deadline mere weeks away, teams such as the Cavs and Rockets are among those aggressively pursuing ways to make roster upgrades midseason, writes Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com. Let's catch up around the league on the latest whispers, rumors and news…
- Thunder veteran Kevin Martin sees himself returning to Oklahoma City next season as he hits free agency this summer, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. "I love playing with this group of guys. The organization is great to me. The community has been great to me. It's the happiest I have been during my NBA career."
- Former NBA star Kenyon Martin's looking for a new home, specifically with the Knicks, but roster space and salary demands remain issues unless injured Rasheed Wallace decides to call it a season, says Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter).
- Celtics head coach Doc Rivers spoke on ESPN's "Pardon The Interruption" on Wednesday about his outburst after Sunday's game. The good folks at ESPNBoston.com have a partial transcript of the conversation for your perusal.
Lakers Rumors: Trades, Job Security, Howard
Here's the latest news and notes making headlines at the Staples Center…
- While Lakers fans may expect the franchise to move either Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol or both before the trade deadline, one GM says it's more liklely that the team retains both players, writes Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com.
- After already having three head coaches man the bench for the Lakers this season, don't look for Los Angeles to consider a buy-out or firing of Mike D'Antoni, says Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register (via Twitter).
- Struggles have dominated the first half of the Laker's season but the unlikely performance of Earl Clark has been a bright spot for Los Anglees, writes Alex Kennedy of Hoops World.
- Arash Markazi and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com consider whether trading Dwight Howard now in hopes of the Lakers winning a championship is worth sacrificing the future of the franchise for the long-term.
Washburn On Harden, Jones, Rockets
Free agent swingman Mickael Pietrus has made it clear he isn't willing to sign for the veteran's minimum, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Pietrus has expressed an interest in playing for the Celtics and taking the team's $1.95MM biannual exception, but Boston will likely hold onto it until the regular season, using it on a player who's been waived by another team.
Here's the latest news and headlines from Washburn…
- Magic Johnson recently voiced his opinion on the moves the Lakers made this offseason. “It was a great move for the Lakers, not just for now but for the future because now we’ll have somebody we can build the Lakers around once Kobe is gone,”Johnson said. “I think that Steve Nash was also a key trade because Steve will make everybody better like Dwight Howard will make all the players better because he’s a great defender and he can get out on that break and run the pick-and-roll well.”
- The Thunder's decision to re-sign James Harden isn't a lock even after helping the United States win a gold medal this summer in London. Team general manager Sam Presti may be reluctant to offer him a new contract due to Harden's struggles during the NBA Finals in which he missed 16 of 20 shots in Game 3 and 4 losses to Miami. “We’ll be open in saying that there are a lot of inherent challenges this organization faces as a result of the new CBA,” Presti said. “With that said, we also maintained that we’re going to figure out a way to build a team that’s competitive within the new system and capable of competing."
- Former Cavs guard Damon Jones has moved on from his playing days and is now looking to make a career as a coach. He helped out friend Tyronn Lue with the Celtics this summer during the team's summer league and truly enjoyed the experience. “When you play like I have for 12 years, there’s so many different things that I saw during the course of my career that I can extend to younger players,” Jones said. “The players that we have here are very receptive. It’s been fun. I couldn’t ask for anything better.”
- Rockets general manager Daryl Morey approached the summer in search of a superstar player to build his roster around but enters the fall with Jeremy Lin as his big ticket acquisition of the offseason. While Morey didn't add the franchise player he was looking to acquire, the general manager is excited about what Lin brings to his team. "We’re always looking for opportunities to upgrade our team," Morey said. "We really like that we have Jeremy [Lin] and the other young players that we have and the other young players improving over time."
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Heat, Dwight Howard
On this day in NBA history in 1948, Nate "Tiny" Archibald was born in New York City. The undersized guard would go on to enjoy a 14-year career spent mostly with the Kansas City Royals and the Celtics. Inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 1991, Archibald averaged 18.8 PPG and 7.4 APG over the course of his career.
Here's the latest news and headlines from around the league:
- Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News examines how the Mavericks could end up with Al Jefferson next summer. The center will be an unrestricted free agent after the 2012/13 season and will be available for a less than maximum deal. If the Mavs are able to sign Jefferson, they should be able to add another top player to complement him.
- The Heat's decision to guarantee Dexter Pittman's contract confuses Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel but understands it takes just one team to lose him. If Pittman went to another team, it would make LeBron James the heaviest player on the roster with Chris Bosh 15 pounds behind him. Nonetheless, Pittman will have to demonstrate that he's worth keeping around during training camp as continued poor judgement on his end could leave him off the roster at the season's start.
- Dwight Howard took out a one page ad in Sunday's edition of the Orlando Sentinel to thank fans for their support, writes the Sentinel's own Josh Robbins. The move can be viewed as questionable given how childish Howard had acted over the last year with regard to his future with the Magic.
Odds & Ends: Magic, C.J. Watson, Spencer Hawes
As we enter the NBA's dead month of September, we're now only weeks away from the Nets' unveiling of their brand-new uniforms. The release on September 28 coincides with the opening of the Barclays Center in the form of a concert by Jay-Z at the venue. One can only wonder if the minority owner will rock the new jersey during the performance.
Let's catch up with the latest news, stories and headlines from around the league…
- New Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn has an open mind heading into training with regard to how he sees the team's lineup and roster playing out, writes Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. "I have no preconceived thoughts about guys here," Vaughn said. "I have to judge these guys on what they show me. Not on past games, not on other people's opinions, but from my opinion. I will give them the opportunity to show me."
- Recently signed Nets guard C.J. Watson has spent the past week in Africa giving back to a community through basketball, writes Roderick Boone of Newsday. "It's fun," said Watson. "They already know a lot of stuff about basketball. It's just fun learning from a NBA player. Like someone told me, 'There might never be a time when I meet a NBA player ever again in my life.' So to get to actually come here and make these kids' dreams come true, it's just fun to meet with them."
- Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com looks at how Spencer Hawes may be able to emulate Pau Gasol while playing alongside Andrew Bynum in the Sixers' frontcourt. Head coach Doug Collins is confident in Hawes' abilities to mimic Gasol's style of play. "I want (Hawes) to play the Gasol role with Bynum,” said Collins. “Both (Hawes and Gasol) like to play out on the perimeter because they can shoot the ball and are very good passers."
Poll: Which Team Will Improve Most This Season?
There's no doubt that the best got better this offseason with teams like the Lakers and the Heat adding key pieces to strengthen their odds of making a title run. Beyond the league's powerhouses, a series of teams ranging from the 8th seed from the Eastern Conference to the squad with the worst record in the league made moves this summer that should help them improve their win totals in 2012/13. For some of these teams, success next season will be predicated on a trade made during the offseason (Sixers) or adding key pieces through the draft, free agency as well trades (Hornets).
There have been plenty of free agent signings, savy draft picks and trades this offseason that will undoubtedly improve more than a few teams this season. Let us know which of these teams below will make the biggest improvement this season based upon wins. If you have another team in mind, vote for "Other" and let us know who it is in the comments.
Western Notes: Jazz, Stephen Curry, Coaches
The Western Conference looks to be even more competitive heading into the 2012/13 season thanks to a series of trades and signings this offseason. While the Thunder should remain the proverbial favorite led by their own Big 3, the Lakers have closed the gap with a flurry of moves including the acquisition of Dwight Howard along with Steve Nash. The Nuggets are another club to watch as the team added Andre Iguodala to its roster as a part of the Howard trade.
Here's the latest news from around the Western Conference…
- Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake City Tribune tracks the unlikely journey Dennis Lindsey took to become the general manager of the Jazz. Lindsey began his path to Utah after playing college ball at Baylor by coaching a variety of different sports at the high school level and serving as a special education teacher. It wasn't until Lindsey turned 27 that he received an entry-level opportunity with the Rockets that had him serve as a video scout, marking the first of 16 seasons of preparing for his new role with the Jazz.
- Stephen Curry's long-term future with the Warriors will be decided by five different factors, opines Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. The fourth-year star's contract status, whether he re-signs or not, should be determined no sooner than hours before the October 31 deadline. Regardless of whether Curry can reach a deal with the Warriors, the former Davidson star will attract attention from around the league.
- The head coaching position in the NBA has been a revolving door for the majority of the league the past few season, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld. Beyond the likes of the Spurs' Gregg Popovich, the Nuggets' George Karl and a handful of others, teams are seemingly becoming more likely to pull the plug on a coach in hopes of a quick fix.
Odds & Ends: LeBron, Charles Oakley, Drew Viney
Today will forever be remembered for Dwight Howard breaking his self-imposed Twitter ban after 127 days. Howard didn't have anything groundbreaking to offer in his first tweet as he merely reminded the rest of the world why living in Los Angeles is hardly a bad thing. Let's take a look at the latest news and stories making headlines from around the league…
- Before Howard made his return to Twitter this morning, LeBron James was up early conducting an impromptu question-and-answer session with his fans, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Topics ranged from James' receding hairline to his love for Ohio State and Florida State football. Winderman believes James hasn't yet adjusted to being back in the United States after spending time in London as well as China.
- Retired big man Charles Oakley says the Magic failed to put Howard in "time-out" and let the young superstar dictate his own future, according to Matt Moore of Pro Basketball Talk. "A lot of guys cry in this league these days. I try not to get caught up in that. The management in Orlando let him get away with it. Most times, they put kids in timeout. They never put him in timeout. He just kept crying and got his way. Now he’s in LA with Kobe so they got a chance to win a couple championships in the next two or three years."
- Heat summer league prospect Drew Viney has signed with Asseco Prokom in Poland according to Euroleague.net, tweets Winderman. The former Loyola Marymount star enjoyed a strong summer with Miami as he averaged 9.5 PPG and 5.5 RPG in four contests.
Kevin Durant Says He’s Ready To Dominate NBA
Michael Lee of The Washington Post recently had the opportunity to sit down and chat with Thunder star Kevin Durant. Even though he's yet to turn 24, Durant says he's ready to take his game to the next level and dominate the league. Here are a few highlights from the conversation:
On where he's at in his career and how he sees himself within the league:
“I’ve heard a few times, in three or four years, this league is going to be yours. . . . I don’t like that. Because I think I’m established now. My time is now. I feel as though I’ve proved myself these last five years that I can be one of the top players in the league. I’ve got a long way to go to being the ultimate best, but I think my time is now. And I’m starting to enter my prime.”
On what it was like to play with the top players in the world during the Olympics:
“I always felt that I belonged on top with those guys and I just have to continue to keep working to maintain that. It feels good to be a part of a great group of guys, to do something special for the country. We all respected each other and they never looked at me as the younger guy coming up and waiting his turn. They were just, ‘Go out there and play, do what you do.’ And that’s what I did.”
On his decision to make a movie during the NBA lockout last summer:
“The thing that I was more concerned about is that I was just so shy. I didn’t want to look dumb. [My mom] told me don’t worry about that. You can’t let other people dictate how you live. She gave me a whole little speech. I said, ‘Why not?’ I want people to see another side of me that they don’t see on the basketball court."
On what not winning a championship would mean for his career:
“I’m not going to let people define my career as a player thus far if I don’t win a championship. They are going to say I’m a bust or I flopped or that I didn’t have a good career in the NBA because I didn’t win a championship in the time that they wanted me to do it? I’m just going to keep enjoying what I’m doing and hopefully I get there sooner than later.”
Eastern Notes: Haslem, Wade, Collins
The Heat enter the 2012/13 season as the team to beat given their status as reigning NBA champions, but will face numerous improved squads on a nightly basis. From the Sixers' deeper frontcourt to a reloaded Nets team, Miami faces an uphill battle as it looks to take home another ring. Here's the latest from around the Eastern Conference…
- Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel says the Heat should be able to count on Udonis Haslem as the team's backup center even after having a disappointing season last year. The big man's struggles most likely stemmed from his continued recovery from a previous foot injury. Beyond Haslem, the Heat have few options to provide depth to their frontcourt and may have to add pieces during the season like they did last year.
- Dwyane Wade spoke with Winderman about how the Heat's style of play evolved over the course of the season to best fit the players they had on their roster and their respective skill-set. "You never know what player is going to start off and be playing a certain way and you switch things up a little bit," Wade said. "But we have that luxury, because we have not only three marquee players, but we have a lot of other players on our team that's very capable, highly capable, and very good."
- Sixers head coach Doug Collins says that he sees himself continuing to coach in Philadelphia for four or five years, writes Marc Narducci of The Philadelphia Inquirer. He also wants to make it clear that he's not campaigning for Coach K's former spot as the head coach of USA Basketball. "It's a tremendous honor that somebody would even throw my name out there," Collins said. "It's four years down the road and I understand in this business you hope you are an active coach at the time."