Western Notes: Kobe, Kelly, Parker
- As for most recent second-round pick Ryan Kelly (whom Vitti says is "asymptomatic"), the trainers have still decided to take a conservative approach with his rehab and aren't sure when he'll be returning to action either.
- Tony Parker tells Mark Woods of ESPN that general manager R.C. Buford wants him to play less minutes at Eurobasket, but added that he has a great relationship with the Spurs and appreciates them letting him play for the French national team.
- Dan McCarney of Spurs Nation relays a snippet of Marco Belinelli's interview with HoopsHype, noting that the 27-year-old guard chose San Antonio over several other teams because of the opportunity to play for Gregg Popovich and a chance to win a championship.
- Rockets guard Jeremy Lin tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 about how great it was to work out with Hakeem Olajuwon and says that "anybody with (Dwight Howard) is a deadly combination" in response to the 50-year-old's recent comments about Lin and Howard being a potent duo next season (All Twitter links).
Hawks Sign James Johnson
According to a congratulatory tweet from sports agency firm Priority Sports, James Johnson has signed a contract with the Hawks. Though the terms of the deal were not mentioned, the pact could likely be a training camp invitation or a partially guaranteed deal. In 54 games and 11 starts for the Kings last season, the 6'9 power forward averaged 5.1 PPG, 2.7 RPG, and shot 41.3% from the field in 16.3 MPG. With the addition of Johnson, Atlanta currently has a total of 19 players heading into training camp.
Drafted 16th overall by the Bulls in 2009, Johnson hasn't lasted more than two seasons with an NBA team since then, splitting his first four years in the league between Chicago and Toronto before landing with Sacramento in 2012/13. To date, the Wake Forest product's best season was arguably with the Raptors in 2011/12, where he played a total of 62 games with 40 starts, averaging 9.1 PPG, 4.7 RPG, and 1.4 BPG in 25.2 MPG.
Odds & Ends: Pistons, LeBron, Anderson
A panel of HoopsWorld columnists discussed their thoughts on the Pistons' offseason additions, current strengths and weaknesses, and where the team projects to finish in the Central Division standings this year. Count Brandon Jennings among those who seem most eager to get the season started, as he believes that with Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe, and Josh Smith, Detroit should be a dominant rebounding force on both sides of the court (Detroit Free Press staff report). Here's the rest of tonight's noteworthy links:
- Ken Berger of CBS Sports believes that with so many variables to consider, there's no way that even LeBron James knows what he's going to do on July 1st next year, when he'll have the ability to exercise his early-termination option and hit unrestricted free agency.
- Jeff Goodman of ESPN (via Twitter) doesn't think it's a guarantee that UCLA's Kyle Anderson will declare for the draft after this year, especially since he's not considered a lock to get selected in the first round at this point.
- Jeff Caplan of NBA.com gives the Trail Blazers a "B" for their offseason report card, highlighting their coaching staff and frontcourt as the team's strongest suits and identifying defense as their weakest one. In another a piece, Ben Golliver of BlazersEdge.com relays Damian Lillard's interview with True Hoop TV's Henry Abbott about his workload and expectations defensively.
- Dan McCarney of Spurs Nation wades through the changes and holdovers of the Northwest Division and touches upon what to expect from each team in 2013/14.
- Moke Hamilton of HoopsWorld held his weekly chat with fans, answering questions about Seattle, the Knicks, how Danny Granger's return from injury could affect Paul George, and the Pelicans' playoff chances among other topics.
Khalif Wyatt Agrees To Terms With 76ers
According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Khalif Wyatt has agreed to terms to a multi-year, partially guaranteed contract with the 76ers. Tom Moore of Bucks County Courier Times (via Twitter) also received direct confirmation of the agreement from Wyatt's agent, Stephen Pina. After going undrafted in June, the 6'4 guard participated in five games for the Sixers' summer league team in Orlando, averaging 13.8 PPG and 1.6 SPG to go with 45.8% shooting from the field and 42.9% from long range in 19.8 MPG. Pompey adds that team brass had been impressed with Wyatt's ball-handling, passing, and leadership as well.
Once the signings of Darius Morris, Rodney Williams, and Wyatt are made official, the current roster will stand at 16 (11 fully guaranteed, three partially guaranteed, and two non-guaranteed deals). Although the former Temple Owl is set to be in uniform on opening night, Pompey won't rule out the possibility of the Sixers sending him to their D-League affiliate – the Delaware 87ers – for a portion of the season.
Pacific Links: Len, Lakers, Kings
Here are some links to pass along out of the Pacific Division tonight:
- Royce Young of CBS Sports relayed a tweet from Suns rookie Alex Len, who revealed that he's been cleared to start practicing and should therefore be ready for the start of training camp.
- Adi Joseph and Sean Highkin of USA Today have been ranking NBA teams according to their "watchability" next season and continue their list with the Lakers, who come in at number 24. With the departure of Dwight Howard leaving the roster thinner and the possibility that the team continues to struggle with injuries, Joseph expects the purple and gold to only win 33 games and ultimately miss the playoffs.
- Next on the list are the Kings at 23, whom Joseph projects to finish 25-57 and fall short of a playoff berth. Although Greivis Vasquez' unselfish play should benefit DeMarcus Cousins and the team could be very entertaining, Joseph points out that the overall roster remains in flux and will continue to struggle heavily on defense.
- Kevin Ding of the OC Register (via Twitter) notes that the Lakers training camp will open on September 29 after the team pushed their media day back to the 28th.
Odds & Ends: Seattle, Expansion, Thunder
There has been speculation that Chris Hansen's contributions to an anti-Kings-arena movement in Sacramento could hurt Seattle's chances of eventually landing an NBA franchise. However, current commissioner David Stern and future commissioner Adam Silver both recently downplayed concerns about the league or its owners holding a grudge, according to Percy Allen of the Seattle Times. You can find more of this evening's miscellaneous news and notes below, including more from the above article:
- Allen also points out that Hansen still has around four years to secure an NBA team and finalize an agreement with Seattle and King County to build a $490MM arena in Sodo with $200MM in public subsidies.
- Given that there currently aren't any teams for sale, Silver had this to say about possible expansion within the near future: "I would never say it’s never going to happen. There’s nothing in the works at the moment…Obviously the league has grown over the years and there may come a point to look at it…But right now coming off of our new collective bargaining agreement, we really want to make sure we have 30 franchises that are all financially sound."
- RealGM's Jonathan Tjarks makes a case for why the Thunder's core still has enough time to win a title.
- Mark Willard and Arash Markazi of ESPN LA talk about what Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has to accomplish in order to keep his job in Los Angeles.
- Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com discusses the ten players most likely to be dealt this season (Insiders only). Among the more notable names on the list include Luol Deng (who we recently heard is set to hit free agency next summer), Rajon Rondo, Omer Asik, and Danny Granger.
Knicks Sign Toure Murry
SEPTEMBER 11TH: The Knicks have officially announced (Twitter link) the signing of Murry, as well as the signing of Chris Smith, whose deal was reported last month. Both deals are fully non-guaranteed, per Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link).
SEPTEMBER 5TH: According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Knicks summer league standout Toure Murry has accepted a training camp invite with New York after a strong late push from the Heat. Despite Miami's efforts to bring the former D-Leaguer on board for camp, Murry is said to have wanted the opportunity to build upon his summer success with the Knicks. With 12 guaranteed contracts, two partially-guaranteed contracts (Jeremy Tyler and C.J. Leslie), and what is most likely a non-guaranteed pact for Murry, New York's roster now stands at 15.
In five games and two starts for the Knicks in the Las Vegas Summer League, the 6'5 guard averaged 7.6 PPG and 1.2 SPG in 20.8 MPG, stringing along a shooting line of .424/.333/.727. Murry also played in the NBDL during 2012/13, appearing in four games as a member of the Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Back in mid-July, ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling (via Twitter) noted head coach Mike Woodson's interest in the 23-year-old point guard: "He's a guy that we've really got to keep our eyes on possibly bringing to camp."
Interestingly enough, Stein writes that the Houston native had garnered acclaim from former Knicks star and current broadcaster Walt Frazier for his hard-nosed play and defensive presence over the summer, adding that Frazier's high praise had factored into convincing Murry to try and make New York's roster.
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Cuban, Bulls
There's hardly a dull moment with Mark Cuban when he speaks with the media, as the outspoken Mavericks owner said on the Artie Lange Show that hiring a head coach is "harder than finding a wife" (hat tip to SportsDayDFW). On a more serious note, Cuban explained why he'll never trade Dirk Nowitzki:
"Dirk defines our culture. When your best player, no matter how old, is the first one in the gym and the last to leave, and works the hardest and encourages guys the way Dirk does … that has a value that goes far beyond what you see on the court."
Here's a roundup of the rest of tonight's links:
- Cuban briefly goes into the thought process behind his decision to buy the team.
- SportsDayDFW's Tim Cowlishaw isn't interested in the idea of bringing Michael Beasley to Dallas.
- With Luol Deng set to become a free agent next summer and Carlos Boozer a prime candidate to be amnestied, it's now or never for the core of this current Bulls team, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley also passes along some notable quotes on Derrick Rose, who according to GM Gar Forman "seems like he's doing great, feels good, strong…everything has been positive." Forman added that Rose stayed away from pickup games this summer but has done enough to work on his game.
- The NBA will install tracking cameras in every arena around the league starting next season, which will present a vastly different way of experiencing and evaluating the game for analysts, casual fans, and the like (Associated Press via ESPN).
- Stephen Curry can now focus on basketball after a busy summer and has already organized voluntary team workouts (Associated Press via NBA.com). In another piece, Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group goes in-depth about how Curry has embraced his role as the Warriors' leader.
- Kevin Ding of the OC Register further analyzes the Lakers' decision to sign Xavier Henry (Subscribers only).
Poll: Most Improved Player In The Pacific?
The spotlight in the Pacific Division will surely be on former Clipper reserve Eric Bledsoe, who will now headline Phoenix's backcourt next to another young talent in Goran Dragic. Bledsoe's numbers last season (8.5 PPG/3.1 APG/20.4 MPG) wouldn't seem very comparable to what will be expected of him in 2013/14, especially considering some of his standout performances when given more than 30 minutes of playing time: 23 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in 38 minutes against the Celtics, 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists in 37 minutes against the Rockets, 10 points, 10 assists, and six steals in 39 minutes against the Timberwolves, and a 27-point, 6 rebound, 6 steal, and 3-block performance in 41 minutes against the Magic to name a few. Now equipped with starter's minutes, it will be fascinating to see how the 6'1 guard will utilize his significantly increased role and responsibilities as a leader of a young team.
Keeping all this in mind, Bledsoe should undoubtedly be among the favorites within the whole league to have a breakout season. With that aside, it was unquestionably a summer of shakeups for the rest of the Pacific Division, as each of the other four teams will feature new key rotation players in 2013/14. Let's take a look at some of the other new faces looking to make a lasting impact on their respective clubs:
Marreese Speights, Warriors – The 6'10 power forward is entering his sixth year in the league and will be playing for his fourth NBA team after signing with Golden State this past July. Following a trade from Memphis to Cleveland halfway through last season, Speights averaged 10.2 PPG, 5.1 RPG, and 18.5 MPG in 39 games and one start for the Cavaliers. Although Sean Deveney of the Sporting News and NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper have reported that the team is currently expecting Andrew Bogut and David Lee to be healthy enough to play without limitation, head coach Mark Jackson could possibly rely on Speights for extended minutes on some nights in order to preserve some of his older frontcourt veterans.
Considering his production in a limited amount of minutes last season, the former Florida standout could prove to be one of the most important reserves on a playoff contender this year and may open some more eyes in the process.
Byron Mullens, Clippers – Fresh off of career highs in points, rebounds, and minutes last season with the Bobcats (10.8/6.4/26.9), it remains to be seen just how Mullens' minutes and role will be handled in Los Angeles. The 7'0 big man put together a flurry of attention-grabbing performances last season, averaging 12.9 PPG/8.2 RPG/33.0 MPG in November and 10.0/7.3/28.6 in December before being sidelined with an ankle injury. Following a 19-game absence, Mullens picked up where he left off, posting 14.6/7.9/32.1 in February.
Although his overall shooting percentages were less than desirable last season (.385/.317/.636), one thing to consider is the possible improvement in the quality of shot attempts as a by-product of playing with a superstar playmaker in Chris Paul and his solid distributing backup, Darren Collison. Byron's confidence in attempting perimeter shots is far from lacking, as nearly four of his 10.6 shot attempts per game last year were taken from beyond the arc. With that being said, Mullens may very well be a viable threat who can stretch the floor provided he can improve his shooting efficiency and have better opportunities created for him. If given the minutes, he's shown that he can definitely put up some numbers.
Wesley Johnson, Lakers – Despite his lack of floor time for the first four months of 2012/13, the 6'7 swingman made the most of his situation after being given consistent starter's minutes in the final two months of the season, averaging 13.2 PPG/1.2 SPG/30.3 MPG in March along with 12.9 PPG and 27.3 MPG in April respectively. He did well enough that despite the Suns opting not to exercise his fourth year option, there was still mutual interest in a return to Phoenix this summer. Ultimately, the former lottery pick out of Syracuse wound up with the Lakers, where he should have his fair share of opportunities as an athletic player in Mike D'Antoni's system. With Johnson playing on a one-year contract, it'd certainly be in his best interest to continue his momentum from last season and perform well enough to earn a lucrative contract next summer, whether it'd be in L.A. or somewhere else.
Greivis Vasquez, Kings – It's more than reasonable to deem 2012/13 as a breakout year for Vasquez. The 6'6 point guard rose to the occasion in New Orleans, producing an impressive 13.9 PPG and 9.0 APG stat line in 34.4 MPG and 78 games played/started. It's important to note that he'll be entering a contract year, and one significant question is how Vasquez's numbers will fare with an entirely different cast of teammates, especially with the surplus of guards on the roster – namely Isaiah Thomas, Ben McLemore, Marcus Thornton, and Jimmer Fredette. Although the former Maryland star displayed his capabilities as a distributor and a tertiary scoring option last season, it appears that another major improvement within reach would be to raise his shooting percentages (.433/.342) as well as the amount of times he gets to the line (2.0). Following his career-best season to date, Vasquez will surely have to deliver in his most important one yet.
After Bledsoe, who would you expect to be the most improved player in the Pacific Division?
T-Wolves Owner On Williams, Roster, Muhammad
Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN points out that the Timberwolves will have until October 31st to decide on whether or not they'll exercise Derrick Williams' fourth-year option for 2014/15, in which he would be owed $6.3MM. In a phone conversation with team owner Glen Taylor, it appears that the front office is still undecided:
"We'll evaluate his summer program, and how he looks coming into camp (which starts Oct. 1)…I heard he is looking good."
Wolfson also mentions a point made by Grantland's Zach Lowe, who intimated that picking up Williams' option could potentially carry Minnesota over the luxury tax and prevent them from using their mid-level exception next summer. Here's more of Wolfson's latest in Minnesota via his conversation with Taylor:
- It's unlikely that Flip Saunders will bring on a 15th guaranteed contract, meaning that Robbie Hummel, Othyus Jeffers, Lorenzo Brown, and an expected-to-be named big man will compete for the final spot in camp.
- Rookies Shabazz Muhammad, Gorgui Dieng, and veteran Chris Johnson are expected to arrive in town on Monday for developmental work.
- Taylor shared that he and Saunders received an apology letter from Muhammad after being dismissed from the league's rookie orientation program, adding that he sent a letter in reply:"I want to get to know him…I wrote to him about first impressions."
- As far as renovations for the Target Center, Taylor had this to say: "We have a term sheet with the city. We've agreed to everything. They need to work out a term sheet with AEG (managers of Target Center)."