Arenas To Work Out For Memphis
Former Wizards star Gilbert Arenas will work out for the Grizzlies on Monday with hopes of securing a contract, reports Michael Lee of The Washington Post. The former All-Star point guard most recently worked out for the Lakers in February, but was not tendered a contract. Arenas, 30, was waived under the amnesty provision by the Magic in the offseason and has not played anywhere else since then.
Thanks to platelet-rich plasma therapy, Arenas is reported to be feeling healthy and in good shape after multiple seasons in which his conditioning had been questioned. Arenas struggled during the 2010/2011 season as he only averaged 10.8 PPG, far below his career average of 21.2 PPG. The Grizzlies would potentially use Arenas as a backup point guard to spell Mike Conley as the team looks ahead to the playoffs.
Odds & Ends: 76ers, Pistons, Hornets, Barbosa
With recently-acquired players beginning to make their respective debuts with new teams, let's take a look around the league to see what's going on before the first of eight Sunday games gets underway.
- John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer says the Sixers had little reason to make a deal prior to the trade deadline. With a young nucleus, the team had little to gain and much to lose in tinkering with the roster. The Sixers are currently in first place in the Atlantic Division.
- None of the Pistons' unhappy players were traded at the deadline, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- John Reid of The Times-Picayune says the Hornets should benefit in free agency now that they have a long-term plan in place to keep the team in New Orleans. Reid makes mention of the fact that David West expressed concern over the club's future in New Orleans and perhaps didn't remain with the team as a result.
- Leandro Barbosa is excited to join the Pacers and help the team solidify its playoff standing, writes Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
Finnan On Sessions, Kapono, Walton, Boykins
Three games behind the surging Knicks in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the Cavaliers have a vastly different roster than they did a week ago heading into the final stretch of the season. They'll play host Sunday afternoon to the Hawks amidst a full slate of NBA action. Let's take a look at what The News-Herald's Bob Finnan has to say about the current state of the Cavaliers in the wake of what was a busy trade deadline for the club.
- Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak is very pleased to have been able to acquire Ramon Sessions from the Cavaliers for a first-round pick projected in the mid-20s. "In terms of the draft picks, I don't think we could've found a Ramon Sessions if he were available in the 20s this year in the draft," Kupchak said.
- The Cavs' decision to cut Jason Kapono wasn't a premeditated move by the team but rather a numbers game given that the Cavs needed to find a roster spot for Manny Harris. As part of the Sessions trade, the Lakers provided the Cavs with enough money to cover the cost of waiving Kapono.
- Much of the criticism surrounding what the Cavaliers received from the Lakers stems from Luke Walton's $6.1MM contract for next year. The hefty price tag for adding a first-round pick hasn't deterred Cavs head coach Byron Scott from feeling optimistic about the team's standing heading into the draft. "I'm very excited about what we did as far as getting another first-round pick, which is very exciting for us to go along with the one we have and our two second-round picks," Scott said. "So, like I said in the short term and in the long term, it was the best thing for us to do and we feel pretty good about it."
- If the Cavs didn't resign Harris, they would have seriously considered adding Earl Boykins to the mix. Boykins, 35, was serviceable last season with the Bucks where he averaged 7.2 PPG in limited action.
Finnan On Sessions, Jamison, Williams
The Cavaliers are officially in the mix for the playoff push as the squad sits two games behind the Knicks for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. They'll look to make it three in a row when they host the Rockets later this evening. Let's take a look at the latest from The News-Herald's Bob Finnan to see what the Cavaliers plan on doing between now and the trade deadline:
- The prospect of the Cavaliers receiving a lottery pick for Ramon Sessions has diminished into likely netting the team a lesser first-round pick or even a second-round selection. While the Cavs must ensure they receive proper compensation for trading the talented point guard, the time is now to pull the trigger, says Finnan. If Sessions isn't traded, Finnan predicts the former Nevada star will opt out of his contract to test free agency.
- Finnan believes Antawn Jamison will remain a Cavalier for the rest of the season rather than be traded or have his contract bought out by the team. The former Tar Heel is widely viewed as a strong lockerroom presence and would prefer to remain with the team if given the choice. Jamison, 35, is currently averaging 18.3 PPG and 6.7 RPG on the season.
- One move that may make sense for the Cavaliers would involve the Hawks as a trade partner. Finnan notes that the Cavs have been in contact with the club to potentially bring Marvin Williams to Cleveland. Another scenario would add Josh Smith to the mix in return for Sessions and Jamison.
Knicks Notes: Smith, Chandler, Backcourt
Struggling to make any strides in a muddled playoff picture, the Knicks kick off a full slate of NBA action on Sunday against a 76ers team currently allowing the fewest amount of points per game. The Knicks presently occupy the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a middling Bucks squad two games back. Making noise in the news for a multitude of reasons, let's head to the Garden to see what's going on with the Knicks.
- With J.R. Smith demonstrating inconsistency as a starter since assuming Landry Fields' former role, Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni has reinstated Fields into the starting lineup effective immediately thanks to his improved play as a reserve, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. Smith, signed just prior to the All-Star break after a stint in China, has averaged 8.9 PPG in his nine games with the Knicks. The former first-round pick out of New Jersey has been making headlines for his risque actions off the court leading to a hefty fine by the league.
- By many accounts the Knicks made one of the best moves of the abbreviated off-season by luring Tyson Chandler away from the Mavericks with a lucrative contract. According to Al Iannazzone of Newsday, Chandler believes the Knicks' roster has enough talent to close out games. "I feel like we may be the deepest team in the league. We should be able to come at teams in waves. It's a matter of putting that together." A newly-beardless Chandler, 29, makes his return to the starting lineup Sunday against the Sixers after missing two games with hamstring issues.
- Rather than focusing on fixing the struggling Knicks via trade, D'Antoni wants to explore providing the tandem of Jeremy Lin and Baron Davis more minutes together on the court to see how such a pairing may improve the squad's overall performance, writes Mark Hale of the New York Post.
Terry Calls For Roster Changes
Plummeting quicker than Carmelo Anthony's trade value, the Mavericks have found themselves mired in strife in the first nine games after the All-Star break. With a 2-7 record since returning from the festivities in Orlando, the Mavericks are trying to come up with answers before it becomes too late for the squad to even consider defending its title, says Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. More vocal than the rest of his teammates, Mavs guard Jason Terry points to personnel changes as a viable option for management to consider before the trade deadline.
Terry's view is a fair one as the team that beat the Miami Heat last June is not only comprised of different players, but the ones that remain are also one year older. The Mavs, with the second oldest roster in the league, have been dealing with myriad issues ever since they reached the pinnacle of the sport by taking home the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in 2011. Losing Tyson Chandler to the Knicks has proved to be a more difficult void to fill than expected and the acquisition of Lamar Odom has been nothing short of a disaster.
Unfortunately for Terry, the Mavs are unlikely to make the type of deal that would alter the team's course for the rest of the season. As rumors circulate from numerous media outlets, the Mavs are presumably looking to build salary cap space for the summer in order to make a run at some of the marque free agents set to become available on the market. The main problem for the Mavs isn't that they are just consistently being beaten by better teams, but rather are losing games to teams that have inferior talent to the reigning NBA champions. A continuing trend the rest of the season may spell the end of the Mavs careers for many players currently calling Dallas home.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Sixers, Odom, Warriors
The Heat take on the Lakers in Los Angeles Sunday afternoon in what should be an epic battle between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. While the Masked Mamba had his nose broken by Dwyane Wade during the All-Star game, Andrew Bynum has stated that he will not retaliate against the former Marquette star. With the rumor mill heating up, here's the latest news from around the league.
- The Heat have lived up to lofty expectations thus far in this abbreviated season, but concerns remain surrounding depth at the center position, writes Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Joel Anthony has done a solid job in his role as the starting center, but Winderman does not believe Dexter Pittman and Eddy Curry offer much when Anthony needs rest. Unfortunately for the Heat, not many options are available in the wake of Joel Przybilla's signing with the Trail Blazers.
- Beyond making a change to their roster, the 76ers need to get to the basket and to the line more often in order to be successful during the playoffs this season, contends John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Lamar Odom addressed his teammates on Saturday night before opening tip and asked for their support as he deals with off-court issues, says Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com.
- Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle offers up myriad trade possibilities for the Warriors with the trade deadline mere days away. From acquiring Joe Johnson from the Hawks to talking with the Hornets about Chris Kaman, Simmons considers every possibility for the team to improve their roster.
Knicks Notes: Davis, Novak, Lin
While overloaded earlier in the season with a relentless schedule, the Knicks have benefited from a cushy start to the post All-Star break season having played only one game in the last 10 days. They'll head to Boston today to take on the Celtics in nationally-televised game as the two teams battle for playoff positioning. Let's take a quick look at what's going on with the Knicks before Carmelo Anthony and the rest of the squad get underway in the first of eight Sunday games.
- Baron Davis talks about signing with the Knicks over the Lakers and the Heat in an extensive interview with the New York Post's Steve Serby. For the former UCLA star, playing at the Garden amongst talented players was more than enough of a reason to lure him to New York. While Davis clearly came to the Big Apple with intentions of starting for the Knicks, he offers high praise for Jeremy Lin and is content with becoming the greatest backup point guard in league history.
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday says minimum deals made by the Knicks have been as important to the team's success as the signing of Tyson Chandler, who has been an excellent addition to the roster. Iannazzone points to the shooting of Steve Novak as a critical reason why the Knicks didn't flounder when injury and personal tragedy kept Anthony and Amare Stoudemire off the court. Novak, 28, has hit 34-66 from three-point range in the Knicks' last nine victories.
- The last time the Knicks played the Celtics, Jeremy Lin looked like a player who could be cut at any time, writes Howard Beck of The New York Times. With his points scored (two) equal to the amount of fouls he committed, Lin's effort against the Celtics could only be described as forgettable. Merely one night later, the phenomenon known as Linsanity took shape with a tour de force performance of 25 points and seven assists in a victory over the Nets.
Central Notes: Dumars, Cavs, Pacers
While the Bulls may claim ownership of the best record in the NBA and the Pacers have gained steam after winning their last six games, the rest of the Central Division remains mired in a lottery-bound wasteland. The Bulls take their 30-8 record to Philadelphia tonight for a matchup against the 76ers. Let's take a look around the rest of the division to see what else is going on.
- Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press suggests Pistons general manager Joe Dumars will keep his roster intact as the trade deadline approaches. Ellis views Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight as the only two players that may garner interest from other teams. One executive mentioned Rodney Stuckey as a potential piece for a team looking for depth, but Stuckey cannot be traded until the off-season due to new rules created after the lockout.
- The Cavaliers may have been among the teams that nearly landed Lamar Odom in the off-season from the Lakers, writes Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. The non-trade has been a blessing for Cleveland given Odom's off-court issues and underwhelming on-court performance this season in Dallas.
- The schedule is set to get a bit more difficult for the surging Pacers, says Mike Wells of The Indianapolis Star. With their first six-game winning streak since 2005 and currently holding the three seed in the Eastern Conference, the Pacers are in a comfortable position in considering what to do with the trade deadline looming.
Blazers Notes: McMillan, Felton, Miller
After getting off to a strong start to the abbreviated season by winning seven of their first nine games, the Trail Blazers are on the outside of the playoff picture with 29 games remaining on the season. The team out of the Rose City has lost their first three games since returning from the All-Star break and will finish up a three-game homestand on Monday against the Hornets before hitting the road for a seven-game stretch. Let's take a look at what's happening inside the locker-room of this star-crossed squad.
- John Canzano of The Oregonian fears Trail Blazers head coach Nate McMillan's time in Portland is up after a recent string of losses and a general lack of enthusiasm amongst his players. For some members of the Trail Blazers roster, making it through the remainder of the season and getting some vacation time is their only concern. Canzano writes that it's not for a lack of trying to motivate his players on McMillan's end, but they don't seem to be responding to his myriad efforts.
- It may be time to start over given that the Trail Blazers have a losing record for the first time since 2008 and would miss the playoffs if the season ended today, writes Jason Quick of The Oregonian. Quick points to a possible Raymond Felton for Steve Blake trade given the Lakers need for a point guard and Blake's familiarity with McMillan's system. Such a move would also allow for Jamal Crawford to assume the shooting guard position rather than running the point where he is less comfortable.
- Trail Blazers president Larry Miller spoke with Quick after the team's loss Saturday night to the Timberwolves and stated that he would look into making moves over the next 11 days prior to the trade deadline.