Western Notes: Love, Leonard, Smith
The end of Kevin Love‘s time with Minnesota was “pretty much set in stone” in January 2012 when he inked a four-year extension with a player option after year three instead of a five-year extension, Wolves coach/executive Flip Saunders admits, according to Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. The move that owner Glen Taylor and former GM David Kahn made to withhold a five-year extension from the budding superstar seemingly came back to bite Saunders, Kahn’s successor, when Love made it clear this summer that he’d leave the team via free agency in 2015. Still, Love insists it wasn’t the primary reason he wanted out.
“I don’t know, I think more than anything I just wanted to win,” Love said. “Now that we’re doing it here, I’m very happy. I think that was very shortsighted when it first happened, but in the end it was more the constant losing.”
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich relayed that Kawhi Leonard may end up needing surgery this offseason to repair the torn ligament in his right hand, Mike Monroe of The San Antonio Express-News reports (Twitter link). Leonard is set to become a restricted free agent after the season.
- A pair of D-League assignments this season have not impacted Pelicans rookie Russ Smith‘s confidence, John Reid of The Times Picayune writes. ”If I go back down, then I’ll just go down and get better,” Smith said. ”But if I’m up here [with the Pelicans], I’ll get better as well. So it’s a win-win situation.” In six games with the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, Smith has averaged 16.5 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals.
- Houston’s newest acquisition, Corey Brewer, said he didn’t expect his transition to the Rockets to be so easy, Jenny Dial Creech of The Houston Chronicle writes (Twitter links). “But you get out there with these guys, and they make it easy,” Brewer said. His new coach, Kevin McHale was especially happy to have Brewer on the team, Creech adds. McHale called Brewer, “a breath of fresh air,” and also added that Brewer “plays without an agenda.”
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Sixers Release Ronny Turiaf
TUESDAY, 5:06pm: The Sixers have released Turiaf, the team announced in a press release.
FRIDAY, 10:58pm: The Sixers will release Ronny Turiaf, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer reports (Twitter link). Turiaf was acquired by Philadelphia as a part of the three team trade for Corey Brewer earlier today in which the Sixers sent Alexey Shved to Houston. This move will reduce Philadelphia’s roster count to 14 players, leaving one spot open for GM Sam Hinkie to possibly work as a clearinghouse once again for another team looking to get a contact off of its books. After all, there still remain a few second round draft picks out there that Philadelphia hasn’t laid claim to. The Sixers currently hold a total of 14 second-rounders through the 2020 NBA draft.
Turiaf is likely out for the season after undergoing surgery on his right hip on December 16th. The 10th-year big man is on a fully guaranteed contract worth $1.5MM this year, which expires at the end of the season, so Philadelphia will eat the remaining salary owed to Turiaf.
The 31-year-old out of Gonzaga has only appeared in two games this season after playing in just 31 games for Minnesota last season. He started in 10 of those appearances and averaged 4.8 points and 5.6 rebounds in 19.5 minutes per contest. Turiaf’s career numbers are 4.7 PPG and 3.7 RPG. His career slash line is .533/.000/.636.
Eastern Notes: Rondo, Muscala, Cavs, Nelson
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said that lingering uncertainty about Rajon Rondo‘s future in Boston, along with the team’s inability to immediately surround him with impact players, contributed to his decision to trade him to the Mavs, Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com reports. “There was definitely uncertainty into what might happen [with Rondo as a free agent] this summer,” Ainge said. “That was a big factor. We liked the players that we got in the trade. But, listen, with his impending free agency, and the uncertainty of what might happen this summer, I think that gave us the impetus of wanting to do a deal.”
Here’s more out of the East:
- Ainge also discussed how difficult it was to trade away a player like Rondo, Forsberg adds. “It was hard. Yeah, it was very difficult to move Rajon,” Ainge said. “I know it’s a business in professional sports, but you really develop a lot of close relationships and I loved watching Rajon, I loved visiting with him, our one-on-one conversations were fun, entertaining, frustrating sometimes. And always a surprise. The guy was a very unique person. But watching him grow and watching him develop as a man and as a person and as a basketball player, I just enjoyed my interactions with him. It was an emotional time as we met last night. It was not an easy thing to do. But I believe it was the right thing to do.“
- The Hawks have recalled Mike Muscala from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, Chris Vivlamore of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports (Twitter link). This was Muscala’s second jaunt of the season to Fort Wayne, and in three D-League games, he has averaged 15 points and 9.7 rebounds.
- Cavs GM David Griffin considered trading for Corey Brewer, but decided that he wanted to hang on to Cleveland’s $5.3MM trade exception, Terry Pluto of The Northeast Ohio Media Group reports. Griffin has decided to wait instead, with his primary goal being to add a big man who can protect the rim and rebound, Pluto notes.
- The Celtics and Jameer Nelson have had preliminary discussions on his future role with the team and “what if” possibilities before the February trade deadline, but buyout negotiations have not taken place yet, Shams Charania of RealGM reports.
Pacific Notes: Durant, Rondo, Jackson
Mark Jackson said that his recent meeting with Chris Mullin, GM Pete D’Alessandro and DeMarcus Cousins in Sacramento had nothing to do with the Kings‘ coaching position, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee reports (Twitter links). Jackson said the get together was simply to catch up with some old friends. Jackson is one of the names mentioned to be in the running for Sacramento’s coaching vacancy along with George Karl, Vinny Del Negro, and Mullin.
Here’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Kevin Durant has openly praised Kobe Bryant and said that he would love to play alongside the Black Mamba. While Bryant has stated that he has not begun recruiting Durant, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2016, Bryant didn’t rule out trying to lure the Slim Reaper to the Lakers, Baxter Holmes of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes. “No, I think we know each other pretty well,” Bryant said. “I don’t think it’s a discussion that you have in terms of coming here. But I think it’s more of an understanding how to play with each other. If the opportunity came up, then that’s the time to have that discussion.”
- The Lakers were lucky to miss out on acquiring Rajon Rondo, Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report writes. Though he believes Rondo is a good player, he isn’t the superstar that Los Angeles needs to build around, and re-signing him this summer, if Rondo was willing, would have eaten into its cap space that could be used to nab a far superior player in the future, such as Durant, Ding opines.
- A Lakers official downplayed the reports that the team offered Steve Nash’s expiring $9.8MM contract and a first-round pick to Boston for Rondo, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News writes.
- Goran Dragic, who can opt out of his contract with the Suns at the end of the season and become a free agent, was mentioned as a possible target for the Knicks either via trade or free agency. Dragic responded to the report by saying he would be open to the Knicks — as well as everybody else — when he gets on the market this summer, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv reports. “Every team that is going to be available is going to be an option,” Dragic said. “New York has great fan base, great basketball organization.”
Western Notes: D-League, Daniels, Garcia
Prior to being waived by the Rockets yesterday, Francisco Garcia declined to be traded to the Wolves, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports reports (Twitter link). There is still a possibility that Minnesota will claim Garcia off of waivers, Spears adds.
Here’s the latest from out west:
- The Wolves‘ acquisition of Troy Daniels in the trade for Corey Brewer nets them an effective outside shooter, something the team was lacking, Michael Rand of The Star Tribune writes. If Daniels can indeed fill that role, his team-friendly salary for this season and next will make him a steal, Rand opines.
- The Pelicans have recalled point guard Russ Smith from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA D-League, the team announced in a press release. In two D-League assignments this season, Smith has appeared in six games with Fort Wayne, averaging 16.5 points, 6.2 assists and 1.8 steals.
- Ricky Ledo has been recalled by the Mavs from the Texas Legends, their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. This was Ledo’s fifth sojourn of the season to the D-League.
- The improved play of Darrell Arthur should benefit the Nuggets big man when he inks his next deal, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. Arthur is in the final season of a three-year contract worth $9MM, and will become an unrestricted free agent this summer. Judging by the high-volume of trade calls Denver has received about him this season, Arthur’s value on the open market will likely be high, Dempsey adds.
- For the fifth time this season, the Thunder have assigned Grant Jerrett to the Oklahoma City Blue, their D-League affiliate, the team announced.
Knicks Notes: Anthony, Dragic, Jackson
The Knicks’ rough start to the season could cost Madison Square Garden shareholders a projected $6MM in profits, Darren Rovell of ESPN.com reports. The estimate was posited by Rich Tullo, director of research for Albert Fried & Company, which covers the MSG stock, Rovell notes. “As the Harlem Globetrotters are the only New York professional [basketball] team winning in Madison Square Garden this season, we cut our estimates to reflect light TV ratings,” Tullo said. “Following more than 20 games highlighted by creative destruction, we think the sample set is large enough to determine lower estimates.” Rovell does note in the article that MSG stock is actually up more than 14% over the last three months.
Here’s more from the Big Apple:
- Carmelo Anthony says that his new $124MM contract and superstar status can influence the Knicks’ winning ways only so much, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “I didn’t think it would be like this,’’ Anthony said. “I’m like, why? Time goes by so fast and one thing you realize, you can’t control winning. It’s out of your control. You can control what you do. You can control your work ethic and your mindset when it comes down to winning. Everything has to be synchronized from ownership all the way down to the staff. Everything has to be in sync.’’
- Suns point guard Goran Dragic, who has a player option for next season of $7.5MM that he is likely to decline, would be a perfect fit for the Knicks and the triangle offense, Berman writes in a separate article. Any deal to acquire or sign Dragic would mean the Knicks would have to move Jose Calderon, who has two more years left on his contract after this season, Berman notes.
- TNT basketball analyst Charles Barkley believes that the Knicks’ theory that free agents will flock to New York because Phil Jackson is team president isn’t a sound one, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “This theory that [the Knicks] got all these expiring contracts, they got all this money, that people are going just be flocking to New York because of the great Phil Jackson, I think it’s a flawed theory,” Barkley said. “You got to admire and respect what Phil Jackson has accomplished but this notion that all these free agents are going to give up [money]? To think guys are going to turn down $30, $40, $50 million dollars to come to New York just because you got Phil Jackson, I just think that’s a flawed theory.”
Southwest Notes: Rondo, Stokes, Felton, Smith
During the press conference to officially welcome Rajon Rondo to Dallas, Mavs owner Mark Cuban indicated that the veteran point guard was acquired primarily to help the team’s defense, Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News relays. “We needed to be better defensively,” Cuban said. “I mean, teams were walking in and shooting better at the 3 than they were in the gym by themselves. So that had to change and stop. We didn’t have a lot of length at the point guard position, either. We needed to get a lot taller or a lot longer. Rajon’s the best of both. He’s not taller, but he’s so long that he’s as good as 6’4″ or 6’5″, so he can guard much bigger.”
Here’s more from the Southwest Division:
- With the acquisition of Rondo, Dallas still has four point guards on its roster, including Raymond Felton, who still hasn’t made his Mavs debut courtesy of his injured ankle. But coach Rick Carlisle says Felton is still a valuable member of the team, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News reports. “Ray’s working his butt off to get himself back to a point where we can activate him,” Carlisle said. “He’s getting closer. I don’t know if he’s quite there yet, but he’s getting closer. Listen he’s a valuable guy. He’s a starting caliber point guard in the NBA, so you got an extra guy like that on your team, that’s a strong position to be in, so you got to keep working. I’ve said all along we’re going to need him at some point.”
- The Grizzlies have re-assigned Jarnell Stokes to the Iowa Energy, the franchise’s D-League affiliate, the team announced. The 20-year-old has posted totals of 20 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 35 minutes over nine games with Memphis this season. This will be Stokes’ third sojourn of the season to Iowa.
- Dealing Brandan Wright to the Celtics as part of the Rondo trade has left the Mavs thin in the frontcourt. One possibility is for Dallas to sign free agent Jermaine O’Neal, and the Mavs are reportedly the front-runners for the big man’s services should he decide to play this season. But another option to replace Wright may already be on Dallas’ roster in the 6’10” form of Greg Smith, Sefko writes in a separate piece. “Greg Smith has been sitting here waiting for an opportunity,” Carlisle said. “So he steps up into the picture. He’s worked hard and he’ll get a chance. We need him at this point. Beyond that, we’ll keep our eyes open around the league for opportunities if there are some. We now have an open roster spot so as time goes forward, we’ll see what’s what.”
Celtics Notes: Rondo, Stevens, Smart
Celtics coach Brad Stevens discussed what the new players garnered from the Rajon Rondo trade will mean to the franchise, Jimmy Toscano of CSNNE.com reports. “Well I think all three of them have roles on this team,” Stevens said. “I think we’ll determine the extent of those as I get my arms wrapped around everything more. They are three guys that add to our team. I mean Jameer Nelson is a guard that can really shoot the ball that has scored and has been a consummate leader and everybody talks about the kind of person he is. Former coaches, players.
Jae Crowder is a guy that we think has a big upside. Can shoot the ball. Has shot it better this year, shooting it almost 35% from three. He’s a guy that can guard both the three and the four and even some twos on occasion. He’s a tough guy. Just a competitive tough guy.
And obviously Brandan Wright. Brandan is a guy that, this is kind of how my job works in communicating with our front office, that after we play a game maybe I’ll say, ‘Man, I think he’s really under-valued,’ because of the way he gets to the rim, the way that he finishes, and I think his second jump on rebounds is as quick as anybody’s around. So we’ll figure out how they’ll all fit with what we’re trying to do and how we can fit ourselves to bees situate them.”
Here’s more from Beantown:
- Rondo was the best player that Stevens ever coached, and he was sorry to see him go, Toscano writes in a separate article. “We all feel like Rajon had a tremendous impact,” Stevens said. “I’m understating it and stating the obvious here. He had a tremendous impact on this organization, the city, certainly as a championship member of the Celtics. I think to a man in that locker room, the coaching staff, the players certainly wish him nothing but the best.“
- Rookie point guard Marcus Smart was surprised that the Celtics pulled the trigger on the trade, Toscano also reports. “To be honest, yeah I am [shocked],” Smart said. “Seems like it just came out of nowhere to me because we weren’t really focused on a trade and everything that was going on. We were focused on this team. So I have to say I was [shocked].“
- Smart also said that trading Rondo shows the front office’s confidence in the team’s younger players, Toscano adds. “The confidence that it has in these young players including myself is tremendous,” Smart said. “That was a big move from the guys upstairs and it just shows a lot how they believe in these young guys and this young team that they have.“
Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Rondo, Jack
This past summer, Carmelo Anthony resisted the temptation to join the Bulls and instead re-signed with the Knicks, a move that cast him as greedy to his critics and perhaps placed him in basketball purgatory for at least one year, Michael Lee of The Washington Post writes. By taking the deal that paid him nearly $50MM more than Chicago could offer to return to New York, Anthony made a long-term business decision over a logical basketball one, Lee adds. “Regardless of what happened, it would all come down to the money. That’s just the life we live. You can’t escape that,” said Anthony, who admits that his attitude in approaching previous contracts was “don’t leave no money on the table.”
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Trading Rajon Rondo was the right move for the Celtics, but GM Danny Ainge waited too long to make a deal, which likely reduced the return that Boston received for the point guard, Julian Edlow of WEEI 93.7 FM opines. Edlow believes it would have been better for the Celtics to have traded Rondo this summer after they struck out in their attempts to add a star like Kevin Love to play alongside him.
- There has been much written about the Knicks‘ insistence on forcing the use of triangle offense on their players as a big reason for the team’s woes, but the reality is that New York simply does not have the talent to compete this season, Howard Beck of Bleacher Report writes.
- Jarrett Jack‘s playing style doesn’t mesh well with that of the Nets, a situation that dealing Jorge Gutierrez to the Sixers has amplified, Robert Windrem of Nets Daily notes. Brooklyn has no other natural point guards besides Jack on its roster to back up Deron Williams, which could force the front office to sign or trade for a pass-first point man prior to the trade deadline, Windrem adds.
Pacific Notes: Bogut, Clarkson, Crawford
Andrew Bogut has struggled with various injuries throughout his career, something that weighs heavily on the Warriors’ big man, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. Bogut’s injury woes reached a boiling point during the middle of the 2012/13 season, and Bogut went as far as telling his agent David Baumann that he planned to retire at the end of that season, Spears notes. “I called him midseason and said, ‘I’m done, ‘ ” Bogut said. “My back was so bad at the time. After every game it was like a balloon and it was like catching my tail to get back to the next game. If we had two games in three days, my ankles were really swollen. I had to get around the clock treatment, anti-inflammatories. It got to the point where it just wasn’t responding.”
Here’s more out of the Pacific Division:
- Bogut’s most recent malady involves his right knee, for which he recently underwent platelet-rich plasma therapy, and he’ll be sidelined indefinitely as a result. Despite his frustrations, Bogut will attempt to finish out his current deal with the Warriors, which runs through 2016/17, and then decide if he wishes to continue playing, Spears adds. “I got two years left [on my contract] and I will play it by ear,” Bogut said. “My goal is to play these two years out and see where I’m at. I am having fun, but it’s a grind though. Some days you wake up and you can’t walk. It takes you an hour to get your body right, to get to the gym, get to your car. But that’s a part of being a pro athlete.“
- The Lakers have recalled Jordan Clarkson from the Los Angeles D-Fenders, their D-League affiliate, the team announced (Twitter link). This was Clarkson’s fourth stint with the D-Fenders of the season.
- Jamal Crawford has heard all of the trade rumors surrounding him, but the Clippers guard doesn’t let them get to him, Rowan Kavner of NBA.com writes. “I’ve been in trade rumors ever since I’ve been here, which is the weirdest thing,” Crawford said. “But that’s part of the business, honestly. I can play wherever. I can play here, I would love to play here. But if not, if something happens, you move on and do what you’ve got to do.”