Steve Nash Seeks Three-Year Deal
In a phone interview with ESPN.com's Marc Stein earlier today, Suns point guard Steve Nash said he would seek a three-year contract after his current one expires this offseason. According to Stein, the 38-year-old insists his back feels "the best it's felt in a decade."
Nash gave no indication as to whether the three-year deal he seeks will be with Phoenix, Miami, Dallas, or another organization that could use his services. The comments appear to come in response to a recent New York Post report that Nash's back was as bad as its ever been.
"It's been my best year physically from start to finish in a long time," Nash said. "Other than a little tweak (last week) against San Antonio, my back's been pretty close to 100 percent."
The two-time MVP has only missed four games this season, and is currently leading the league with 11.3 APG.
Odds & Ends: Bulls, Davis, Pistons, Spurs
The Bulls are doing battle with the Thunder today in another possible Finals match-up. Chicago is once again without their best player, Derrick Rose. In an Insider piece on ESPN.com, Basketball-Reference's Neil Paine explains that despite the team experiencing recent success without Rose, they have no chance at winning a title if he doesn't play.
- Tim Griffin from Spurs Nation has a piece on San Antonio's probable decision to change their lineups as the playoffs grow near.
- ESPNNY.com's Ian Begley writes about the importance of Baron Davis now that Jeremy Lin will have knee surgery.
- Vincent Goodwill from The Detroit News thinks Joe Dumars needs to take the Pistons in a new direction.
- Since Ray Allen went down with an ankle injury, and Mickael Pietrus suffered a concussion, Avery Bradley's insertion in Boston's starting lineup has been a revelation for the team's playoff chances, writes The Sporting News' Sean Deveney.
- CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes poses an interesting question regarding a difficult decision Portland might have this offseason. With both J.J. Hickson and Nicolas Batum being restricted free agents, which one should the team set as a priority for keeping? For reference, here's a look at our list of 2012/13 free agents.
- The Sacramento Bee's Stephen Magagnini wrote a piece about the impact rookie Isaiah Thomas has had both on the court and in the community.
- The Indianapolis Star's Mike Wells writes about the relationship Pacers guard George Hill still shares with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Also, Indiana head coach Frank Vogel talks about why he's decided it isn't worth it to rest his veterans despite the season's hectic schedule.
Hoops Rumors Originals: 3/26/12 – 4/1/12
A look back at all the original content produced by our writers this past week.
- Here are our new 10-day contract tracker and tentative 2012 draft order features.
- Luke Adams lists every free agent for the 2013/14 season.
- A dissection of late-season signings and their playoff eligibility.
- We took an early look at the free agent market for point guards, shooting guards, and small forwards.
- A list of all non-guaranteed contracts for 2012/13.
- Chuck Myron takes a look at all the 2012 traded first round draft picks.
- The 2011/12 D-league assignments and recalls.
- Daniel Seco posted a poll asking whether or not the Lakers will re-sign Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher this offseason, and also broke down the current playoff picture.
- Zach Links gave us his weekly installment of Hoop Links, a collection of various NBA related blog posts from around the internet.
- Alex Lee wrote our first Prospect Profile piece on Kentucky's Anthony Davis, the probable number one overall pick in this year's draft.
- A Free Agent Stock Watch profile on the enigmatic Kevin Garnett.
- An assessment of marquee free agents who re-signed with their teams.
Prospect Profile: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
Last night, in the biggest game of his life, Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was held scoreless for the first 30 minutes. But after Louisville's Peyton Siva tied the game on a three-pointer midway through the second half, the freshman sensation scored two quick baskets that put the Wildcats up for good. He finished the game with nine points, all coming in late, crucial moments.
Kidd-Gilchrist is one of the NCAA's best players. He spent his first season contributing in almost every aspect to a team some believe might be the best college basketball has ever seen. With averages of 11.9 PPG (on just 8.2 shots per game) and 7.5 RPG, while delivering elite defense every minute he's out there, Kidd-Gilchrist has been a consistent force of ferocity.
One possible negative to take away from his only collegiate season has been the slightly alarming fact that as his minutes have gone up, Kidd-Gilchrist's FG% and PPG have gone down, according to StatSheet.com. Also, he's only surpassed the 20-point scoring mark two times.
But looking at these arguments from another angle, the fact that Kentucky's roster is filled with future NBA players may be a reason for the "tempered" scoring numbers. Also, his FG% and scoring didn't exactly fall off a cliff.
Most draft analysts predict the 6'7" forward will be a top three pick in the upcoming draft, and his ability to impact the game both ways makes him one of the surest high value selections to come along in a while. His game is high energy, attacking in transition, and finishing at the basket with incredible efficiency.
If there are any current NBA players who Kidd-Gilchrist could end up emulating, Luol Deng, Andre Iguodala, and Gerald Wallace would be the biggest names. He's a hard worker who should only improve as his career progresses. His versatile style would make him a perfect fit on almost any team likely to receive a high draft pick, but if he's picked by Washington and paired with John Wall, the situation could be extremely beneficial for everyone involved.
Ultimately, his success could be decided on whether he can defend the perimeter like those three All-Stars, knock down wide open shots, and create occassional offense on his own. There's no doubting the future for Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is a bright one.
Warriors Sign Mickell Gladness For Rest Of Season
In a tweet, Yahoo's Marc J. Spears reports that Golden State has signed Mickell Gladness for the rest of the season. It was reported yesterday that the signing was expected to be for the rest of the season as opposed to a 10-day deal.
As our Chuck Myron wrote yesterday, Gladness began the season with the Heat, appearing in eight games before getting waived February 7th. He then signed two 10-day deals with Miami, despite interest from the Warriors when he signed the last one.
Cavs Notes: Scott, Gibson, Szczerbiak
The News-Herald's Bob Finnan has a few interesting rumors regarding Cleveland's current coaching situation and some salary misconceptions.
- On Friday night the Cavaliers suffered a 38-point loss against the Bucks. The margin of defeat and perceived lack of effort caused Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert to express his displeasure on Twitter. Finnan says that despite the display of dissatisfaction with his team's effort, there's no reason to believe Gilbert will not allow Byron Scott to fulfill the remaining two years on his contract.
- Daniel Gibson's 2012/13 contract is incorrectly being listed as a "team option" on some websites. Only $2.3MM is guaranteed on next year's contract. Gibson's deal is worth $4,792,332 in 2012-13.
- The team renounced former Cavalier forward Wally Szczerbiak on March 16th. They no longer have a cap hold on his deal. It is unknown why they waited to renounce his deal, only that it was a cap move.
Jerryd Bayless Out For Season
Raptors guard Jerryd Bayless will miss the rest of the season with a torn left oblique muscle, according to the team. In a tweet, the Toronto Sun's Ryan Wolstat says there's a chance Bayless has played his final game with the team, as Toronto could choose not to tender his $4.16MM qualifying offer, but in the end Bayless will probably be back one more year before becoming an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2013.
The Raptors recently signed guards Alan Anderson and Ben Uzoh to 10-day contracts, so their backcourt is secure for now.
In 31 games this season, Bayless has averaged 11.4 PPG and 3.8 APG.
Rockets Sign Courtney Fortson For Rest Of Season
A day after his 10-day contract expired, the Rockets have decided to keep Courtney Fortson for the rest of the season, with a non-guaranteed contract next year, also. According to the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen, this means Fortson can go through the Rockets' offseason program and summer league, and, hopefully, be a part of their training camp.
Fortson was waived by the Clippers after signing a 10-day contract with the team on January 27th. Since signing with Houston on March 18th, Fortson has appeared in five games, posting averages of 2.8 PPG and 0.8 APG.
The Rockets have been in search of backcourt stability since losing Kyle Lowry to a mysterious bacterial infection a few weeks ago. Days after acquiring Derek Fisher at the trade deadline, Houston agreed to a buyout with the former Laker point guard, and yesterday they signed 13-year veteran Earl Boykins to a 10-day contract.
Odds & Ends: James, Gibson, Draft, Stuckey
It's being reported by ESPN.com's Chris Broussard that early on in Miami's 105-90 loss against Indiana last night, LeBron James may have dislocated the ring finger on his left hand. In 41 minutes, James scored 24 points and grabbed nine rebounds in what was Miami's second straight loss.
- According to the Associated Press, Georgetown junior Hollis Thompson is planning on hiring an agent, and will enter the NBA draft. This year he shot 43% from behind the three-point line, which led the entire Big East. Thompson finished the season as the Hoyas' second leading scorer, and third leading rebounder.
- Cavaliers shooting guard Daniel Gibson has a torn tendon in his right foot and may miss the remainder of the season. Gibson is currently seeking multiple opinions pertaining to the injury's severity, but with only a month left in the season and Cleveland all but out of the playoff picture—not to mention the fact that they recently signed guards Donald Sloan and Manny Harris—it's more than likely he won't see the court again.
- In a recent USA Today article, Rodney Stuckey told writer Jeff Zillgitt that he saw a psychologist in order to cope with all the recent losing he's experienced with the Pistons. Stuckey is in the midst of a resurgent season that last saw him hit a game-winning shot against the Wizards last night.
- Since being traded to the Nets, Gerald Wallace has experienced loss after loss, but he's keeping a positive attitude, according to the Newark Star-Ledger's Colin Stephenson.
- The Bobcats haven't found the most success this season. The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell writes that if they don't turn things around, they could go down as the worst team in NBA history.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Andre Miller
In this "golden age" of point guard play we're currently witnessing, Andre Miller continues to stay under the radar as one of the most efficient, yet underrated, players in the entire league. Now in his second tenure with the Nuggets, Miller is backing up another point guard (Ty Lawson) for the first time in his career, and despite his team's success playing the two off one another with a change-of-pace strategy, he's expressed unhappiness in the role.
As the highest paid player on Denver's roster, Miller is about to see the three-year, $21MM deal he signed in 2009 come to an end, and it's probable that with Lawson entrenched as the team's starter for the foreseeable future, he'll explore other options come the offseason.
Miller believes he can still start for someone and produce at a high level. At this stage in his career, a team might be gambling should they allow him to do so. Right now the 35-year-old is averaging the second lowest FG% of his 13-year career—in five fewer MPG than last season—but his per-36 minute assist numbers are his second highest. What he continues to offer a Denver team that has one of the league's best benches, is savvy, consistent point guard play and veteran leadership. For younger players, he's invaluable playing the role of mentor, but it doesn't seem like that's something he's interested in doing. If nothing else, Miller is tough, respected, and still able to slow the game down to his own manageable pace.
There don't appear to be any high profile point guards in the upcoming draft, and apart from Deron Williams, Goran Dragic, and Steve Nash, the league's free agency pool appears to be thin as well. If Miller is serious about starting, there are several teams that would love to utilize his services. After this season comes to an end, it wouldn't be surprising to see him end up playing for Charlotte, Indiana, Utah (if they can find another home for Devin Harris and his soon to be expiring contract), or even Portland, the team that unwisely traded him for Raymond Felton last June.
Andre Miller's availability on the market will most likely fall as far under the radar as his on-the-court influence these past 13 years, but there's no denying the fact that he can still play in this league. Whether he chooses to limit a possible destination by insisting he's a still worthy of starting is another story altogether.