Free Agent Stock Watch: Antawn Jamison
In the 1996 movie Eddie, Whoopi Goldberg plays a die-hard Knicks fan who eventually becomes the team's head coach after winning a halftime contest. John Salley plays a wily old veteran player who is called on to step in and contribute after the team's superstar encounters some struggles. While the former will likely never happen in real life, the idea of players in their twilight stage being able to contribute on competitive teams is not a far-fetched occurrence in the NBA. Grant Hill, at 38-years-old, played in 81 regular season games and 16 playoff games averaging 30 MPG for a Suns team that reached the Western Conference Finals in 2010. Ray Allen, who is set to turn 37 this July, has played in at least 91% of his teams games and has averaged at least 34 MPG in each of his last three seasons with Boston. Waiting in the wings to play for a contending team is 35-year-old Antawn Jamison.
After being dealt three times in the span of his 14-year career, Jamison heads into this summer with the ability to choose his own destination. As we documented earlier this month, Jamison is unlikely to remain in Cleveland:
"I want to win," Jamison said. "Tomorrow is not promised. I might not be here next year. I can’t worry about what we’re planning for next year. For me and a lot of these other guys, what can we do now? It was tough to know we were so close [to playoff contention] and instead of taking steps forward, we took dramatic steps backward."
Boasting averages of 17.8 PPG and 6.4 RPG, Jamison will be an attractive free agent for contending teams who will not have to break the bank too much in order to add a valuable rotation player. Another selling point will be how healthy he's been able to keep himself this season, playing 33.7 MPG and starting in all the 57 games he's played in. While his 41.2 FG% this year is less than spectacular, I doubt that he will maintain such a high volume of attempts (16.5) wherever he winds up next year.
Jamison can play either forward spot, and his skill set can be effectively utilized in small lineups. His long-range shooting ability could force conventional power forwards to guard him out on the perimeter where they are uncomfortable defensively, which consequently spaces the floor and opens the driving lanes for his teammates. His numbers also show that he can still be active on the glass, as his 2 offensive RPG average would indicate. Jamison may very well be a modicum of productivity with a team's second unit, given the type of numbers he's been able to put up this season.
I would think that both the Heat and Thunder would be on the radar, or at least have interest from Antawn's side. Chicago still has Carlos Boozer, Taj Gibson, Ronnie Brewer, Luol Deng, and Jimmy Butler in their forward crop, so it doesn't necessarily look like an ideal fit at this point. The Lakers could also show some interest, but they are still in line to handle Ramon Sessions' status as an unrestricted free agent and will exercise Andrew Bynum's $16.1MM team option for next season (not to mention that they would be pushing themselves considerably further above the luxury tax). This is all speculation of course, but I would think that whoever is still active in late May/early June will be a candidate to land Jamison in July.
Odds & Ends: Magic, Randolph, Kings, Irving
Earlier this evening, an ESPN report (via the Associated Press) indicated that Stan Van Gundy is prepared to handle the rest of the season and playoffs without Dwight Howard. To make matter worse, forward Glen Davis hyper-extended his right knee today during the first quarter against the Cavaliers and did not return for the rest of the game. Joshua Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel tweeted that Davis is unsure about when he'll be able to play again this year, which currently leaves Daniel Orton as the only true big man on the Magic roster. It should be noted that if the Magic decide to find replacements for their big man rotation through free agency, the only playoff-eligible players at this point are those who have not already played in an NBA game this year. You can find tonight's other significant stories here:
- Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press writes that the determining factor in Anthony Randolph's future with the Timberwolves will significantly hinge on his ability to remain consistent as the team finishes out the year. Randolph is set to become a restricted free agent this summer, and even with his brilliant performance over the last three games, coach Rick Adelman feels that the jury is still out on whether he can be counted on for a full season.
- Ken Berger of CBS Sports writes that a Sacramento group including mayor Kevin Johnson is hinting at proposing new ownership for the Kings. The Maloof brothers had recently pulled out of a deal to finance a new arena with the city, much to the chagrin of the city members who are working hard to keep the team in Sacramento.
- Cavaliers head coach Byron Scott will proceed with caution with regards to the health of Kyrie Irving, says Tom Reed of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Irving is recovering from a sprained right shoulder, and Scott would rather have him focused on being ready for off-season workouts than returning for the team's final weeks.
- Lee Jenkins of Sports Illustrated examines the role of Chris Bosh as the key to Miami's playoff success.
- Raymond Felton has likely seen his last minutes of the season with the Trail Blazers, according to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com. Interim GM Chad Buchanan said that he and Felton agreed that this would be an opportune time to properly evaluate their other young guards, namely Nolan Smith and Jonny Flynn. Haynes also wrote another article in which he asked Kings GM Geoff Petrie about being linked to the Blazers vacant GM position, to which Petrie replied: “That's something I can't really comment on. I have a job.”
- Ten things you need to know about Derrick Favors, according to Gordon Monson of The Salt Lake Tribune.
- Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post spoke with coach George Karl to reflect on how he has handled coaching while prioritizing his life during this season.
Caplan on Terry, Nowitzki, Cuban
After today's loss against the Lakers, the Mavericks currently hold just two less losses than the ninth-place Suns and the tenth-place Jazz. Denver's win against Houston tonight places them only a half-game behind the Mavericks for the sixth spot, and the Rockets would be 1.5 games behind. Luckily for the Dallas, they own the tie-breaker against the Nuggets, Suns, Rockets, and Jazz. However, both Utah and Houston will still have their chances to spoil the Mavericks' standing in the Western conference as their respective matchups against Dallas this week could have major implications. Jeff Caplan of ESPN Dallas presents the hot topics surrounding the team tonight:
- Owner Mark Cuban has lobbied to make basket interference calls reviewable during the last two minutes of regulation and overtime. This stemmed from a crucial play in which the Lakers took a 2-point lead in overtime after Pau Gasol knocked down a three point shot. Matt Barnes appeared to have touched the ball while it was in the cylinder and even acknowledged it afterward, according to Cuban.
- Dirk Nowitzki is in the midst of a shooting slump and insists that despite his 9-for-28 performance today, being a volume shooter is not how he wants to play. Dirk is shooting 38.3% from the field over his last five games.
- Jason Terry briefly recounts the last play in overtime in which he came up short on a drive to the basket.
Knicks Notes: Chandler, Stoudemire, Carmelo
The Knicks' home winning streak under Mike Woodson was snapped at nine games at the hands of the Heat this afternoon. New York still holds the eighth and final playoff spot but are just two games ahead of the Bucks with six games left to play. You can find today's Knicks-related stories here:
- Adam Zagoria of ZagsBlog.com says that center Tyson Chandler doesn't expect to miss any time after getting hurt during today's game. Chandler banged knees with Joel Anthony during the third quarter. In another article, Josh Newman (also of ZagsBlog) writes about how today's meeting could be a preview of a Knicks-Heat first round matchup.
- Newsday's Al Iannazzone noted Dwyane Wade's comments about how the return of Amare will create an adjustment period for the Knicks. ESPN New York's Christopher Hunt took a different focus with Wade's other postgame input, saying that they're tougher and better with Stoudemire in the lineup.
- Ian Begley of ESPN New York writes that the Knicks will need more than just Carmelo Anthony's scoring if they want to be competitive against any of the top seeds in the East during the playoffs.
- Moke Hamilton of SheridanHoops.com reacts to the Knicks loss, discussing the Heat's halfcourt struggles, the need for help for Carmelo, how the Knicks will fare with the return of Amare Stoudemire, and the team's identity defensively.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York discusses pace as it relates to New York's lack of production in the fourth quarter.
Wizards Sign James Singleton
In a tweet by Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix, the Wizards will sign James Singleton for the rest of the season.
Singleton had signed a 10-day contract with Washington on April 5. Since then, the 30-year-old forward has put up double figure scoring in four of his last six games, including a 12 point and eight rebound performance in a win against the Magic last Tuesday. This should be a great opportunity for James to showcase himself, as he has averaged 24.8 minutes under Randy Wittman since joining the club.
Free Agent Stock Watch: Ersan Ilyasova
The 2005 NBA draft contained some names considered to be among an intriguing pool of talent at the time: Sean May, the burly and crafty big man who had just won a national title with North Carolina; Julius Hodge, the silky smooth 6'7'' guard out of N.C. State capable of playing both back court positions; Salim Stoudamire, a sweet-shooting off-guard who thrived under the tutelage of legendary coach Lute Olson at Arizona. If you glance at the top 30 selections of that year, you'll find that Yaroslav Korolev, Ike Diogu, and Fran Vazquez were selected in the lottery. All the way at pick number 36 was 17-year-old Turkish forward, Ersan Ilyasova.
Nearly seven years later, Ilyasova is averaging 13.0 PPG and 8.8 RPG while shooting 49.4% from the field and 44.9% from three-point range. The other aforementioned players, all selected before Ersan, are currently not on NBA rosters. Coming off of what will be his most productive NBA season to date, the 6'10'' big man's contract expires this summer and he is looking for a payday. In February, we documented his mindset as it related to his impending free agency:
"It's hard to say where I'll be next season," said the 24-year-old. "It's going to be about the money difference (whether he remains in the NBA or goes overseas). It's always business. I don't want to think about it because I don't want it to affect my game. We'll see what happens."
Ilyasova has started just 36 of the 55 total games he's played this season, and one selling point for an interested team would be to offer a starting role. Milwaukee is also a forward-heavy team having just dealt for Ekpe Udoh, Mike Dunleavy finding a niche in Scott Skiles' rotation, and with Luc Mbah a Moute and Drew Gooden signed through 2014-15. The Bucks own Ilyasova's Bird Rights, so they would be able to retain him for any number up to a max contract. With that being said, unless Milwaukee chooses to break the bank and is willing to deal with a logjam at the forward spot, Ersan could be on his way out.
Last month, we made note that he could be a target for the Nets. I would even say that Dallas could show some interest, as Ilyasova would be a solid consolation addition should they fail in their pursuit of Deron Williams. Regardless of whoever lands him, Ilyasova would be a nice young player who at best is good enough to start. At worst, he has shown he can be a mainstay in a coach's rotation for many years to come.
Odds & Ends: Smith, Olympics, Anthony
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel took some time to shed some light on Magic guard Ishmael Smith after his standout performance against the Pistons on Monday. In a separate piece, Schmitz outlines the uphill battle Orlando faces as they look to clinch a playoff spot. Six of their last eight games are against above-.500 teams, and four of those games are on the road.
- If Ray Allen and Dwyane Wade could have things their way, players on the USA basketball team would be compensated for their participation in the Olympics. While Allen sees it as a matter of opportunity cost, Wade focused more on the jersey sales and summer commitment aspect of it (Scott Gleeson of USA Today reports). According to Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports, Team USA Chairman Jerry Colangelo responded to their comments, saying: "It’s never been discussed and it’s not even feasible in the reality of economics."
- Jim Cavan of the New York Times examines the emergence of Carmelo Anthony after being moved to the power forward slot as well as the role it has played in the Knicks' recent success. If New York can hang onto a playoff spot and Amare Stoudemire is cleared to play, it will be interesting to see how Anthony will translate that success at the small forward position with Amare in the lineup.
- The Kings team owners will make a case to the NBA Board of Governors in New York that the plan to finance a new arena in Sacramento needs more negotiating, writes Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee.
- Gilbert Arenas tells J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today that he is happy to be out of the spotlight in Memphis as he looks to move forward from his troubled past.
Kidd Plans To Play Another Year
In an article by ESPN.com's Marc Stein, Jason Kidd was quoted as saying that he wants to play another year.The 39-year old Kidd, who has played in at least 80 games each year for the Mavericks from 2008 to 2011, has missed a total of 15 games for Dallas this season.
While the Oakland native returned to action against the Kings yesterday, he was limited to just 22 minutes. Kidd claimed it had been the "best he's felt all season," although coach Rick Carlisle will likely continue limiting his minutes in order to preserve him as much as possible before the playoffs start. Kidd's minutes per game average has dipped from 33.2 to 28, and his 34.7% field goal percentage marks the lowest of his 17-year career.
Stein mentions a source that says the Mavericks would "absolutely" have Kidd in their plans should he choose to return, and mentions sources that are confident that he would happily accept a back up role if the Mavericks were to sign Deron Williams this summer.
Barkley On Bulls, Thibodeau, Nowitzki, Odom
- In an ESPN Chicago report, Barkley says that he liked what he saw from Chicago in their win over the Knicks on Tuesday night, and breaks down why he feels that they can beat the Heat if they meet in the Eastern Conference Finals.
- According to Charles, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau should be one of the top five paid coaches in the league. Thibodeau may soon get that opportunity, as his contract expires this summer. (ESPNChicago.com link)
- He isn't sold on the notion that Dirk Nowitzki can return to form as a dependable go-to guy, and asserts that he is "never wrong on Father Time" (Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas reports).
- SportsDayDFW highlighted a few notes from Barkley's visit with Galloway and Company of KESN-FM 103.3 in Dallas, most notably his feeling that Lamar Odom does not deserve to get paid for his disappointing lack of productivity this year.
Iannazzone on Chandler, Calipari, Playoffs
In what could be a preview of a first-round matchup in this year's Eastern Conference playoffs, the Bulls and Knicks will begin a home-and-home series on Sunday in New York. Carmelo Anthony understands those implications and views these next two games as playoff games, according to Adam Zagoria of Zagsblog.com. Al Iannazzone of Newsday also offered some input about the Knicks tonight, and here's his latest work out of the Big Apple:
- Contrary to Anthony's claim that Tyson Chandler is playing with a fractured hand, the team's starting center refuted the notion but did imply that he is playing through inexplicable pain.
- John Calipari could be a legitimate candidate to coach the Knicks next season, says Iannazone, and cites Calipari's ties to the Creative Artists Agency (which has affiliations to people within Knicks management and with whom Carmelo is also a client) as a possible factor.
- In a separate piece, Iannazone looks at the challenge of the next 11 games for the Knicks as it relates to their push to make the playoffs while facing a daunting schedule.