Eastern Notes: Woodson, Bulls, Pistons
Friday night’s win against the Nuggets hasn’t dulled the Mike Woodson job security chatter. The Knicks firing him is now a “when”, not an “if” proposition, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. The team’s players appear to know it, both publicly and privately grumbling about Woodson’s strategies and methods. It’s a legitimate topic for debate as to how much of the blame falls on Woodson for the Knicks struggles this season, but firing him won’t fix the team’s issues opines Windhorst. He cites the problems with the team’s roster, as well as multiple players under-performing. A new coach wouldn’t be able to change that, as well as make an impact on Carmelo Anthony‘s decision to opt out of his contract after the season. Windhorst also examines the impact that interim coaches have on a team’s record. After an initial bump, teams usually don’t improve their records, according to the article.
More from around the Eastern Conference:
- Also weighing on on the Knicks flaws not being addressed by firing Woodson, is Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday. He also agrees that many of the players under-performing would not be solved by a coaching change.
- Mark Deeks of ShamSports takes another look at Taj Gibson‘s impact on the Bulls’ luxury tax situation. Gibson has a number of performance bonuses in his contract, that if met, could place the team over the luxury tax threshold. Gibson receives a $250K bonus for making the all-defensive second team, with another $250K if he makes the first team. The Bulls are currently $678,595 under the tax, but still have to add one more player to the roster to meet the league’s minimum requirement of 13. Adding a player, even at the minimum slot of $358,919, coupled with Gibson meeting his bonuses, could force the Bulls to pay the tax, which wouldn’t be worth it for a non-contending team, opines Deeks.
- The Pistons find themselves in their seemingly annual position of deciding to try to win now or tank for the future, writes Terry Foster of The Detroit News. He opines that while it might be necessary to win for President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars and coach Maurice Cheeks to keep their jobs, a better draft would benefit the franchise more in the long run. This goes against team owner Tom Gores’ playoff-or-bust edict, but it’s better for the team if he doesn’t get his wish, writes Foster.
Odds & Ends: Young, Bulls, Kuzmic
The Lakers‘ Nick Young will be out at least two weeks with a patella fracture, writes Zach Harper of CBS Sports.com. Young injured his left knee in last night’s game at Cleveland, and had an MRI exam today in Philadelphia. Results of the MRI show that Young has a non-displaced fracture of the patella and a bone bruise. Young joins Pau Gasol, Kobe Bryant, Xavier Henry, and Jodie Meeks, amongst the ranks of the team’s injured players. Young is averaging 16.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 1.5 APG, in 28.8 MPG.
More from around the league:
- The Warriors have recalled Ognjen Kuzmic from the Santa Cruz Warriors of the D-League, according to a press release. Kuzmic was assigned to Santa Cruz on January 17th and appeared in seven games during this assignment, averaging 6.9 PPG, 11.1 RPG, in 22.9 MPG. He’s appeared in 13 games for the Warriors this season, averaging 0.6 PPG.
- With the trade deadline approaching fast, Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders.com looks at the contracts most likely to be moved by their teams.
- Tom Thibodeau would like the Bulls to add a “player or two” prior to the trade deadline, writes K.C. Johnson of The Chicago Tribune. The Bulls only have 12 players on their roster currently, and Thibodeau would love to have the maximum of 15, just to provide flexibility. The team has to add at least one player by February 13th, in order to meet the league’s minimum requirement of 13 players. Mike James is the primary candidate to fill that spot.
Eastern Notes: Bynum, Bobcats, Woodson
The Bobcats are going to be buyers at the trade deadline, according to Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders.com. With the Bobcats having exceeded expectations this season, and with the overall weakness of the Eastern Conference, the team will try and bolster their roster for a playoff push. The team has been actively shopping Ben Gordon‘s expiring $13.2MM contract, and would be willing to part with a first-round pick for the right player. Charlotte will surrender their pick to the Bulls if it falls out of the top ten, but might still have two first-rounders in this year’s draft. They are owed the Pistons first-round pick (top-eight protected), as well as the Trail Blazers pick (top-12 protected). According to Kennedy, the Bobcats have already inquired about the Sixers Evan Turner, and the Bulls Taj Gibson.
More from around the East:
- The Pacers have sent Orlando Johnson to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA D-League, the team announced via press release. This is Johnson’s first D-League assignment this season. In the 2012/13 season, he played four games with the Mad Ants, averaging 23.5 PPG, 5.8 RPG and 3.3 APG. He’s appeared in 36 games this season for the Pacers, and has averaged 2.5 PPG. and 1.4 RPG, while playing 9.4 MPG.
- Chris Johnson is “thrilled” that the Celtics are signing him for the rest of the season, writes Baxter Holmes of Boston.com. “I just have to give thanks to Danny Ainge for bringing me in and giving me the opportunity, Brad Stevens for giving me the opportunity to play when guys were injured, and my teammates for just giving me confidence,” Johnson said. In eight games this year, Johnson is averaging 7.6 PPG, 2.8 RPG. 1.3 APG, while playing 21.6 MPG.
- The issues between Pistons guard Will Bynum and coach Maurice Cheeks might not be over. Bynum and Cheeks had to be separated from a sideline confrontation during Wednesday’s loss to the Magic. Bynum doesn’t regret the incident, writes Brendan Savage of M Live.com. According to Cheeks, the two hadn’t spoken about the incident, and Cheeks became testy when pressed. Bynum said, “I don’t regret it. I regret the fact that maybe I was a bit too passionate about it. But other than that, no.” Bynum also said he has no plans to approach his coach about the matter.
- Nerlens Noel has ramped up his rehab activities, writes Dei Lynam of CSN Philly.com, but the team still isn’t saying if he’ll make his return to the court this season. The Sixers have 32 games remaining, but there is still a long checklist ahead of Noel before he would make his NBA debut, according to the team. With Spencer Hawes being rumored to be on the trading block, it’s unclear if him being moved would affect Noel’s status.
- Jeff Van Gundy believes that many Eastern Conference teams have “chosen to be bad” this season, writes Steve Reed of the Associated Press. To be clear, Van Gundy is talking about “tanking” for a better lottery pick. He wouldn’t name specific teams, but observed that the problem was real, and blames the current lottery system for the issue. He also stated, “It doesn’t necessarily mean the guys on the floor aren’t trying hard, but it means teams have put some really bad rosters on the floor. A lot of teams right now are happy with losing and that’s really too bad for the league. That’s too bad for the fans.”
- Knicks owner James Dolan reportedly met with Carmelo Anthony and at least one player after Wednesday night’s game, writes Frank Isola of The New York Daily News. The topic was the state of the team, and whether or not a coaching change was in order. The team’s front office is divided on keeping Mike Woodson, and there have been multiple reports that the coach is on the hot seat.
Knicks Rumors: Woodson, Melo, Boeheim
With all the rumors flying around about coach Mike Woodson‘s job security, any issue can become a major one rather quickly. The players might not have quit on Woodson, writes Ian Begley of ESPN.com, but they are growing tired of having their effort questioned by him. Last month some players expressed their frustration privately to reporters, and a few players communicated their frustration directly to Knicks management, according to Begley. This discontent could be indicative of a schism between the players and their coach, or simply a product of the toll losing takes on a team.
More notes out of the Knicks realm:
- In light of all the speculation about Woodson’s job security, some players are growing weary of their coach, Begley writes in a separate piece The players might possibly be tuning out Woodson, unsure if he will be their coach for much longer. Begley also touches more on the players becoming frustrated with having their effort questioned, which was mentioned in Begley’s previous article. J.R. Smith, who had earlier spoken out in support of his coach, admitted he’s worried Woodson ultimately will take the fall for the Knicks’ poor performance.
- Woodson called this season a “disaster from a coaching standpoint,” but he doesn’t want to see it end prematurely for him, writes Al Iannazzone of New York Newsday. Woodson said the failure of the coaching staff to get the players to consistently play at a high level is the most difficult thing for him to accept about his performance. He also stated, “That’s the frustrating part about it because I know we’re better than we’ve shown. We still got a chance though.”
- Carmelo Anthony‘s college coach Jim Boeheim believes Melo needs to play for a contender, Begley notes in a third piece. Boeheim stated, “The problem in the NBA, you’re judged on winning championships. He’s got to try to go and play where they can win a championship or else he’s going to be a failure. That’s the bottom line.” Boeheim disagrees with the notion, but understands that is how superstar players are ultimately judged. He also believes that Melo is happy in New York, but will ultimately choose winning over comfort, wherever that might be. In the same article, Woodson says he hopes Melo looks at more than just this season when making his choice. “He’s got to look at really the last two years, too, what he’s built here. And not just use this year as a year where you throw in the towel,” Woodson said. Anthony will opt out of his contract after the season and become an unrestricted free agent. The Knicks can offer the most money, but if winning is a priority, that edge might not be enough to retain their star.
Fallout From Cavs GM Change
The big news out of Cleveland today was the firing of GM Chris Grant. The team was expected to let Grant go after the season, but with the team losing six in a row, and 10 of their last 13 games, team owner Dan Gilbert felt he couldn’t wait that long. There are a number of candidates now being considered to take over the now-vacant GM position. The trade deadline is looming, and the team may be looking to shake up its roster. The only thing certain right now is that the team is in trouble on the court, and now in a state-of-flux off of it.
Here’s more on the state of the Cavs:
- Grant has a reputation around the league as being difficult to work with, and executives from other teams believe he valued his own players too highly, according to Grantland’s Zach Lowe. Gilbert, rather than Grant, engineered the Andrew Bynum signing this past summer, Lowe adds.
- In the press conference where he discussed firing Grant, Dan Gilbert mentioned how no one associated with the team is happy with how the season is going, and he alluded to the need for “cultural and environment change.” If that is indeed the case, then it doesn’t make sense to fire the GM, but keep the coach, writes Terry Pluto of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. He believes that Mike Brown might be more responsible for the team’s current woes than Grant. The team isn’t responding to him, and the Cavs aren’t playing with the necessary effort to turn things around, says Pluto, who also believes the team would be in better shape if it had retained Byron Scott for another season.
- Dan Gilbert purchased majority ownership of the Cavs back in 2005. In that time he’s seen his share of turmoil, but he says this season has been the “most challenging,” writes Jodie Valade of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Gilbert didn’t go as far as promising that Mike Brown’s job was safe, but did mention that Brown has been with the team less than a full season. Gilbert also stated, “We’re going to see Mike Brown succeed this year. I think he will be able to do good things in the next 30 games or so.”
- With the team looking to shake up its roster, Basketball Insiders takes a look at the roster and salaries interim GM David Griffin has to work with.
- Lack of progress led to Grant’s firing, writes Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio. With the team having had four top-four draft picks in three years, including two No. 1 overall choices, the team should have been moving in a much more positive direction, opines Amico. The poor season that Anthony Bennett is having also didn’t help Grant’s case.
- Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders thinks Grant’s firing suggests roster changes will be coming, with the trade deadline two weeks away. A new GM won’t have any attachment to the players whom Grant brought in, which means a roster shakeup could be happening soon. The only player who should feel secure is Kyrie Irving. Every other player, including Luol Deng, could be on the move, according to Kennedy.
- There are five tasks the new Cavs GM must tackle, writes Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. These include retaining Kyrie Irving, finding a new head coach, re-signing Deng, drafting better, and bringing in more efficient offensive players.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Melo, Durant, Nuggets
If the Heat fall to the Pacers because of the Andrew Bynum signing, then the Heat weren’t going to win the title anyway, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Bynum doesn’t figure to rise any higher in the Pacers rotation than the ninth or tenth man, and if that is the determining factor, then Miami has deeper issues with their roster than one player can change. Winderman believes the Heat tandem of Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen versus Roy Hibbert and Bynum should still be fine, as Andersen is a match for Bynum defensively. The Heat also tend to favor playing with smaller lineups, which won’t change their strategy against the Pacers.
More from around the league:
- LeBron James doesn’t have any insight on where Carmelo Anthony will play next season, writes Mitch Abramson of The New York Daily News. James said, “I don’t know (what he’s thinking). I’m a good friend of his but I don’t know what his mind is saying or what’s going through his mind. He loves to play basketball and just like the rest of us — we want to win. That’s the number one thing. When you do something your whole life you want to win at it and you want to work at it. You don’t want it to be easy but you want to give yourself an opportunity to win. But I don’t know what’s going through his mind.“
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post is the latest to weigh in on the possibility of Kevin Durant joining the Wizards in 2016. When Durant was asked about the possibility, he stated, “I don’t even want to think about that. I haven’t given it any thought, playing up here. I love Oklahoma City. I love coming here and visiting.” Whether or not he wants to give it any thought, it will be difficult not to if it’s a topic of conversation over the next two seasons.
- Gino Pilato of D-League Digest.com examines if Kevin Murphy is worthy of an NBA call-up. Murphy is currently with the Idaho Stampede, and is averaging 23.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 1.4 APG in 32.2 minutes. Before joining the Idaho Stampede this season, Murphy played in 11 games with the Reno Bighorns on a D-League assignment from the Jazz last year, where he averaged 13.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 1.6 APG. He didn’t make much of an impact during his time with the Jazz, playing in only 17 games, and averaging 0.9 PPG in 2012/2013.
- The Nuggets are at a crossroads this season. Do they tank for a better draft pick, or try to trade their way into a playoff berth? There is a third choice, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. The team could try and follow the Pacers model of building a contender according to Dempsey. That team parlayed shrewd drafting and smart role-player signings into being a championship caliber team. The Pacers avoided pursing big-name free agents, and Dempsey believes this is the most realistic path for the Nuggets to take. The Nuggets currently sit at 22-23, and are 3 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot. A number of injuries to key players will make it difficult for the current roster to make the playoffs. Denver has two first-rounders this year, but will have to ship the lower of the two to the Magic, either their own, or the Knicks‘ pick they obtained from the Carmelo Anthony deal.
Celtics Recall Faverani From D-League
The Celtics announced today that they have recalled center Vitor Faverani from their NBA D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Faverani, a 6-11 center, has appeared in three games for the Red Claws this season and has averaged 16.3 PPG, 12.0 PPG, 3.7 APG, and 1.33 BPG , while logging 31.3 MPG.
During his recent assignment to the Red Claws, Faverani appeared in two games and recorded 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks against Delaware on Friday, and provided 20 points, 17 rebounds and six assists against Erie last night.
Faverani has played in 37 games this season for the Celtics, and has averaged 4.4 PPG, and 3.5 RPG, in 13.2 MPG. He’ll be in uniform for today’s game against Orlando.
Pistons Notes: Monroe, Gores
The Pistons are unlikely to trade Greg Monroe before the February 20th deadline, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. The idea of moving Monroe because of finances isn’t true, the team can fit him in their budget, as Andre Drummond‘s next contract is still two seasons away. The question is more to whether or not Monroe is worth signing to a big money extension. Ellis opines that teams are reluctant to give up on young, skilled big men of high character like Monroe. But, he also agrees that if a high-level player like Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo becomes available, then the Pistons would definitely have to consider making a deal. But the team trading Monroe just to add another shooter or solid rotation player that isn’t a game-changer? Highly unlikely, according to Ellis.
More from Detroit:
- Pistons owner Tom Gores is frustrated with the team’s record and performance so far, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. “I’m not satisfied with the job I’m doing. I’m not satisfied with the job anybody’s doing, including myself,” Gores said yesterday. With the team’s record at 19-27, and considering the Pistons have given away a number of games this season with uneven fourth-quarter play, Gores said what most owners or general managers or coaches of an underperforming team would say, “The record isn’t indicative of the talent assembled on the roster“.
- Goodwill also believes that Gores shares part of the blame from when he all but demanded the Pistons make the playoffs this season, and made his desire known for the team to make a big splash in free agency. This resulted in the signing of Josh Smith, a player who didn’t necessarily fit the mold of what many expected the team should’ve been shopping for.
- Gores also stated that he is more focused on making their own players better right now, rather then making trades before the deadline, according to Goodwill’s piece. The owner hasn’t publicly demanded the Pistons make a drastic change to a roster that needs shooting in the worst way. But that could change if the Pistons’ woes continue.
- Keith Langlois of NBA.com puts a more positive spin on Gores’ outlook. He believes that the owner sees a lot of hope in the young roster. The Pistons average age among their starters is 23 years, and that allows Gores to maintain a measure of patience despite the inconsistencies that have dogged them over the season’s first 46 games.
Pacers Notes: Bynum, Bird, George
The Pacers didn’t need Andrew Bynum, and this may be the reason why the signing will work out, writes Bill Ingram of Basketball Insiders.com. After failed stints with the Sixers and the Cavaliers, the Pacers might be just what Bynum needs to get his career back on track. The team has the best record in the league without Bynum having logged a minute, so there isn’t pressure for him to come in and produce right away. There are also a number of quality veterans in the Pacers locker room who can lead by example and help Bynum adjust to his new team. Ingram also notes that Bynum should be aware that this is his last chance to prove that he can be an effective player and contribute to a winning team.
More on the Bynum signing:
- Larry Bird disputes the notion that Bynum will be a disruption on the team’s culture and locker room, writes Candace Buckner of IndyStar.com. “We’ve got protection for Roy Hibbert and Ian Mahinmi and we’ll see how it works out,” Bird said. “I think it’s a great upside for us, we don’t do anything that we don’t think is going to help us and I think this is going to help us.” Bynum has agreed to a $1MM deal for the rest of the season, and will return to Indianapolis early next week but will not be ready to play for at least several weeks. Bynum played in 24 games for the Cavs this season, averaging 8.4 PPG and 5.3 RPG. Also, Bird refuted earlier reports that the Pacers were merely interested in Bynum to keep him away from Eastern Conference rival Miami.
- Also in Buckner’s article, some of the Pacers players weighed in on the signing. Paul George said it’s a big gamble on the team’s behalf, and noted that, “He’ll have to prove a lot to himself, whether he wants to play or not. If he comes in ready to go, ready to put in the work, really buying into our program, we have no problem being there for him.” Ian Mahinmi is the player who stands to be most affected by Bynum’s minutes. He stated, “My only concern is for the team. Whatever makes us better as long as we keep winning and we keep taking steps toward the championship, I’m fine with that.” Not all the players were willing to discuss the new addition. Both David West and George Hill refused to discuss Bynum, and directed any questions towards Bird or coach Frank Vogel.
Odds & Ends: Cavs, Durant, Pistons
The Cavaliers have been all over the news the last few days, and not for anything good. There are rumors that Kyrie Irving wants to fire his agent and leave Cleveland, though he issued a denial about this. Then there are the rumors that coach Mike Brown has lost the locker room. Latest to weigh in is Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Lloyd says that barring a significant turnaround before the trade deadline, the roster will likely face some major changes. That very well could include a trade of Dion Waiters, whose act has worn thin on his teammates and various members of the organization. Irving’s behavior has also irritated teammates and other members of the organization, but the Cavs are expected to offer him a max contract extension this summer and aren’t believed to be considering trading him.
Some more notes from around the league:
- It was reported earlier that John Wall would try to recruit Kevin Durant to join the Wizards when he becomes a free agent in 2016. Durant, in town to play the Wizards, weighed in on the possibility, writes Ben Standig of CSN Wahington.com. Durant was born in Washington D.C., and had this to say before the game, “I grew up here. I’ve got 100 people coming to the game tonight. That should tell you how much I care for this city.” He continued on to say, “Just growing up here, catching the subway down to the MCI Center at the time as a kid, and watching the games. I’m very fortunate, blessed to come back here and play. Every part of D.C. is embedded in my heart. Looking forward to playing tonight.” Durant didn’t say he was considering heading to the Wizards, but he also didn’t rule it out.
- Pistons owner Tom Gores said that he is concerned about his underachieving team but added that the focus is on improving the existing roster, not buying or selling before the upcoming NBA trade deadline, writes David Mayo of MLive.com. Gores’ stance is that the team should be performing better than they have with their current roster. He also stated the focus isn’t on the upcoming trade deadline, but on helping the current roster develop. Gores also denied the team was trying to trade Greg Monroe, whom our readers voted the Piston most likely to be moved before the trade deadline.