Poll: Should The Knicks Make A Move?
Earlier this week, Tyson Chandler went down with a right fibula injury that will sideline him for four to six weeks. For the time being, power forward Andrea Bargnani has been filling in for Chandler but with only him and Cole Aldrich available at center, the Knicks may be forced to make a move in the coming weeks.
Additionally, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reported earlier today that Iman Shumpert‘s trade value seems high, and much higher than how the Knicks currently value him. Isola suggested Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets as a possible trade candidate who would interest the Knicks.
As our roster counts show, New York is currently at the 15 player max. This means signing any free agent would subsequently force the Knicks to release a current player on their roster. Available free agent big men the Knicks have been rumored to be interested in include Jason Collins and Louis Amundson.
Should the Knicks trade for a big man, sign a free agent, or stay put?
D-League Notes: Nets, Rockets, Kings
While the Nets, Rockets, and Kings are busy preparing for their games this evening they also remain busy with their respective D-League affiliates..
- The Nets announced they have recalled forward Tornike Shengelia from the D-League Springfield Armor. Shengelia was assigned to the D-League only two days ago and will join the Nets for their game against the Pacers this evening. Shengelia has not had a chance to play in the NBA this season due to the depth on the Nets’ bench but averaged 1.6 PPG in 4.9 MPG in 19 games for Brooklyn last season. It’s likely Shengelia is in the lineup due to Andrei Kirilenko and Kevin Garnett‘s ailments.
- Scott Rafferty of SB Nation wonders if Tyshawn Taylor, another young Nets player who is struggling for minutes, will crack Brooklyn’s NBA rotation this year. Taylor was also sent down to Brooklyn’s D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor, this week. Last year Taylor played in 38 games for the Nets, averaging 5.8 MPG and 2.2 PPG.
- The Rockets announced via Twitter they have named Gianluca Pascucci the GM of their D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Pascucci was the Rockets’ Director of Player Personnel last season.
- Ray McCallum, rookie point guard for the Kings, has been inactive the first three games of the Kings’ season but not due to his lack of ability according to coach Michael Malone. Although earning praise from his coach as a “very good defensive player,” Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee suspects it will be hard for McCallum to find minutes that are currently going to Greivis Vasquez and Isaiah Thomas and that the D-League may be a better option. Jones predicts that’s where McCallum will find himself once the Kings’ D-League affiliate, the Reno Bighorns, begin their season Nov. 22nd.
L.A. Rumors: Gasol, Henry, Green
Let’s head to Hollywood for the latest on the Clippers and Lakers:
- Pau Gasol addressed his upcoming free agency in a video with Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. “It’s going to be the first time that I’m going to be a free agent (to) see what’s out there, what’s the best situation,” Gasol said. “My career, the years that I have left are very few. So I have to be conscientious of that and maximize my time and opportunities. At the same time, I’d love to stay with the (Lakers) and stay with a franchise that has given me so much. We’ve been through so many different things, and I want to continue. That’s kind of my desire.”
- Another current Laker who will be gaining attention for a new contract next summer is current training camp invite Xavier Henry. Henry is taking full advantage of his fully unguaranteed minimum salary contract as he is currently the Lakers’ third-leading scorer, albeit over a small sample size. Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times examines Henry’s sudden relevance.
- Clippers guard Willie Green has switched agents and is now represented by Aaron Goodwin and Muhammad Abdur-Rahim of Goodwin Sports Management, tweets Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype. According to the Hoops Rumors Agency Database, Goodwin Sports Management also represents fellow Clipper Matt Barnes along with other notable clients — DeMar DeRozan, Nate Robinson, and current Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard.
Poll: Which Restricted FA Gets A Max Deal?
October 31st was the deadline for NBA teams to sign fourth-year players currently on a rookie scale contract to a contract extension and forgo the chance of that player hitting restricted free agency next summer. Paul George, John Wall, and DeMarcus Cousins were the most richly rewarded among those who locked up extensions in advance of the deadline, as all three reached deals for the max. Notable players who did not sign an extension with their team were Eric Bledsoe, Avery Bradley, Gordon Hayward, Greg Monroe, Evan Turner, and Greivis Vasquez. Assuming their teams tender qualifying offers, these players will become restricted free agents next year.
The teams these likely restricted free agents are on will have the right of first refusal for anyone bidding on them next summer. For a few of these players, the bidding seems to be plentiful. Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report quoted an opposing GM saying the “Jazz had better lock up Hayward”. (Twitter link) Jason Jones of the Sacrament Bee tweets the Kings “love” Vasquez. Lon Babby, president of the Phoenix Suns basketball operations, told Matt Petersen of Suns.com the Suns would “do everything we can to make sure [Bledsoe] is happy.”
Which of these players do you think will benefit most from becoming a restricted free agent next summer? Who do you think stands the best chance of getting a max deal?
Knicks Notes: Leslie, Davis, D-League
After falling to the Bulls on a last second Carmelo Anthony miss, the Knicks look to avoid moving below .500 tomorrow when they face the Timberwolves in New York. As we look forward to Sunday night’s game, a few other newsworthy notes around the Knicks organization.
- The Knicks began to fill out the roster of their D-League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks by adding among others, forwards C.J. Leslie and Justin Brownlee. The Knicks continue to show interest in Leslie who was a member of the Knicks training camp until they released him last week. The NBA allows for teams to retain the D-League rights of up to three camp invitees which is how the Knicks were able to add Leslie and Brownlee to the Erie roster.
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York reports that another member of the BayHawks’ roster, a former NBA first-round pick and Erie’s sixth-round pick in Friday’s D-League draft, Ricky Davis had a “strong showing on defense” in a workout with the Knicks this summer. Davis will be trying to make his way back on to an NBA roster since the 2009/10 NBA season when he was a member of the Clippers.
- Charles Barkley, who previously faulted Carmelo Anthony for starting the conversation about his pending free agency next summer, has now blamed the media for distracting the team.