Odds & Ends: Grizzlies, Horford, Bennett, Dolan
While they’re only a few months removed from an appearance in the Western Finals, the Grizzlies aren’t currently in position to make the playoffs this season, and may have to start looking toward the future, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com writes in a piece for SBNation.com. Tonight’s look around the Association…
- An NBA exec says that even though he hasn’t spoken with the Cavs, “they’re clearly aggressive” in trying to trade Andrew Bynum and are active in other talks, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports (via Twitter).
- Al Horford will undergo surgery for his torn pectoral muscle on Tuesday, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Last week, we learned that the Hawks big man is done for the season thanks to the injury.
- Cavs rookie Anthony Bennett is trying to cope with the widespread criticism he has received so far this season, writes Bob Finnan of the News-Herald. The No. 1 overall pick is averaging 2.4 points and 2.0 rebounds while shooting 27.7% from the field and 15.4% from the three-point arc.
- Knicks owner James Dolan’s poor basketball sense has put the club in a terrible position, opines Phil Mushnick of the New York Post.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Smith, Carmelo, Raptors
If you’re a Celtics fan in Maine and haven’t checked out a Red Claws game yet, January might be a good time to get on that. Earlier today, C’s coach Brad Stevens told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that Rajon Rondo could spend time with Boston’s D-League affiliate before he gets back on the NBA hardwood. Stevens, who is known as a forward-thinking coach, envisions the D-League being used more often for players returning from injury in years to come. More out of the Atlantic..
- The Knicks took some heat for their signing of Chris Smith over the summer and their release of him today has raised the ire of someone rather important to the organization. “You know the sad thing about betrayal? It never comes from an enemy,” read the caption of an Instagram pic that older brother J.R. Smith tweeted out. Smith won’t lose any money over being cut loose as his deal was fully guaranteed for the rookie minimum.
- Pending free agent Carmelo Anthony is less-than-thrilled with how things are working out with the Knicks this season, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. “This is not how I envisioned it, this is not how we envisioned it coming into this season,” said Anthony. “But it is what it is at this point. We can’t be crying about it. We’ve got to find a solution to it, got to take it one game at a time and figure it out.”
- Terrence Ross has shined for the Raptors in the wake of the Rudy Gay deal, writes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
Pacific Notes: Suns, Bledsoe, Warriors
Earlier today, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported that the Lakers approached the Nets earlier this month to see if Brooklyn had any interest in a deal centered around Pau Gasol and Brook Lopez. The exploratory talks, which happened before Lopez’s injury, didn’t go anywhere, as the Nets balked at the idea. With Lopez out for the year, that possibility is dead, but it does show that L.A. might be willing to take on contracts beyond 2015. Tonight’s look at the Pacific..
- Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld looks at five pending free agents due for raises this summer, including Suns restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe. Before the season, they likely could have locked him to to an extension with an average annual value of $9-11MM, but the way the guard has played in his first full season as a starter, it looks like he’s headed for a max or near-max contract offer.
- Suns GM Ryan McDonough watched Bledsoe for years, first in college as the kid who played alongside John Wall at Kentucky, then with the Clippers where he was Chris Paul‘s understudy, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. “You just saw these flashes of what he could do,” McDonough said. “He doesn’t have a lot of holes in his game. There’s not a lot of things he can’t do, just with his strength, his athletic ability and his shooting.“
- The Warriors announced that they have recalled center Ognjen Kuzmic from the Santa Cruz Warriors of the D-League. Kuzmic was assigned to Santa Cruz on December 28 and played 16 minutes in last night’s game against the Bakersfield Jam, registering two points, nine rebounds, and one blocked shot. To keep up with all of this year’s D-League assignments and recalls, check out Hoops Rumors’ running list.
Rajon Rondo Could Spend Time In D-League
Rajon Rondo practiced again with the Celtics on Monday and is slowly returning to basketball shape. However, he could take a pit stop elsewhere in New England before rejoining the C’s. Coach Brad Stevens says his rehabilitation may include a stint with the team’s D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Stevens said Rondo likely wouldn’t return to the Celtics during their five-game West Coast road trip beginning on Jan. 5 and could spend time with Maine practicing and playing in D-League games before coming back to the varsity squad. Rondo has not played since Jan. 25 because of a torn right ACL.
“I would make that a decision on him and our staff,” Stevens said following today’s practice. “That is something that has been discussed, probably some positives and negatives to that, but at the end of the day, it is an option as part of his rehabilitation.”
Stevens’ former point guard at Butler, Ronald Nored, is a player development coach in Maine and he and Rondo have discussed the possibility of Rondo spending some time there. Stevens acknowledged that having Nored there to help ease Rondo back in could be a positive.
The Celtics have not used their D-League affiliate for rehabilitation over the past few years and the last regular to see a stint there was Avery Bradley during his rookie season. Stevens says that he envisions the D-League being used more for rehab assignments going forward, similar to how baseball teams use their farm system to bring players back into the fold.
Central Notes: Augustin, Bulls, Cavs, Thompson
Tonight’s look at the Central Division as the Pistons get set to take on the Wizards and the Bulls travel to Memphis to face the Grizzlies..
- Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com confirms (via Twitter) that D.J. Augustin’s contract with the Bulls is fully non-guaranteed and is just a one-year deal. James Johnson’s contract with the Grizzlies is also a one-year, non-guaranteed pact worth the minimum salary.
- The Cavs nearly traded for Klay Thompson on draft night in 2011, a source tells Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal. Cleveland GM Chris Grant was trying frantically to add a third top ten pick in that 2011 draft to make it happen. Former coach Byron Scott told Lloyd months later it was the night he really came to believe Grant knew what he was doing and was the right man for the job.
- More from Lloyd, who adds that the Cavs talked to the Kings about a deal involving J.J. Hickson for the No. 7 pick, but the Kings ultimately dealt the pick in a different deal and the Cavs sent Hickson to the Kings after the draft for Omri Casspi and a future pick. Then the Cavs had a deal in place with the Jazz for the No. 12 pick, but the Warriors snatched Thompson at No. 11. The Jazz ultimately backed out of the deal with the Cavs and nabbed shooting guard Alec Burks.
Knicks May Cut Chris Smith
MONDAY, 8:25am: Smith is the player expected to be released if and when the Knicks sign Tyler, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post, who says the Knicks could announce the roster moves as soon as today.
SUNDAY, 2:29pm: The benefits of nepotism can only get you so far sometimes. If the Knicks go ahead and sign Jeremy Tyler, as they’ve been discussing, they are seriously considering cutting Chris Smith to free up a roster spot rather than center Cole Aldrich, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Aldrich is on a non-guaranteed deal while Smith’s pact is fully guaranteed for the rookie minimum salary. The guard has seen just two minutes of total court time and while Aldrich hasn’t gotten that much more burn, it doesn’t make sense for the team to shed a big man when frontcourt depth is their issue.
The signing of Smith, the younger brother of J.R. Smith, was a controversial move for the Knicks over the offseason. Despite Chris’ assertion that he earned his place on the roster, many speculated that the Knicks added him as a sweetener to get J.R. to re-sign over the summer.
Odds & Ends: Spurs, De Colo, Suns, Lottery
The NBA is thinking about doing away with divisions and it doesn’t sound like Cavs coach Mike Brown would be too upset if that happens. “I don’t necessarily look at a division foe as any more important than anybody else,” Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said, according to Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer. “I think it’s natural that you look at just your conference teams a little bit more than you do the other conference. You try not to, but I think it’s natural that you do.” More from around the Association..
- The Spurs announced that they have assigned guard Nando De Colo and forward Malcolm Thomas to the Austin Toros. Both players have had multiple trips to the D-League affiliate. In three games in Austin, De Colo has averaged 30.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 4.33 steals in 38.0 minutes. In his three games with the Toros, Thomas has averaged 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 4.33 blocks in 37.3 minutes. Keep up with all of this year’s D-League assignments with Hoops Rumors’ running list.
- Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks denies that he’s at odds with offseason pickup Josh Smith, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Suns are catching teams off-guard under first-year head coach Jeff Hornacek, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Marc J. Spears and Evan Doherty of Yahoo Sports (video link) discuss the pros of the NBA potentially getting rid of the draft lottery. The league is reportedly considering a wheel system.
Eastern Notes: Celtics, Williams, Cunningham
It’s been a fascinating year for the Celtics following their blockbuster deal with the Nets. The C’s hit the reset button by shipping Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn and while they’re anxiously awaiting Rajon Rondo‘s return, there’s plenty of reason to believe that the future in Boston is bright. GM Danny Ainge reflected on 2013 with the Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett. “It was tough because we had so many injuries during the course of the year,” said Ainge. “I thought that our team was actually better than it ended up showing in the playoffs — without Rondo, without Sullinger, without (Leandro) Barbosa, who was playing really well for us (before be tore his left ACL in February). That was tough to overcome. I think our guys did as good as could be expected with what we had.” More from the East..
- Terrence Williams has no plan to return to the Nets‘ D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM. The guard, who signed with Turk Telekom in October before parting ways after just two games, is talking to other teams. Williams finished the 2012/13 season with the Celtics.
- The Hawks announced that they recalled guard Jared Cunningham from the Bakersfield Jam of the D-League. Cunningham, who was re-assigned to Bakersfield on December 16, has averaged 18.1 points, 5.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 33.1 minutes in eight games (all starts) in two stints with the Jam this season.
- Arron Afflalo‘s NBA journey has taken him from the Pistons to the Nuggets to the Magic but he says that all of the movement hasn’t affected his development, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Hoops Links: Holiday, Bennett, Bynum
On this date in 1999, the late Wilt Chamberlain became the first player to have his number retired by three teams when the Warriors retired his No. 13 jersey at halftime of their game against the 76ers. The No. 13 jersey was presented to Barbara Lewis and Yvonne Chamberlain, Wilt’s sisters, and Oliver Chamberlain, his brother. Chamberlain’s number had already been retired by the Philadelphia 76ers, where he was part of the 1967 NBA championship team, and the Los Angeles Lakers, where he was part of the 1972 title team. Chamberlain spent six years with the Warriors organization, averaging 41.5 points and 25.1 rebounds in 429 games.
Got a great blog post that you want featured on Hoops Links? Send the link to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. This week’s look around the blogosphere..
- Hoop76 revisits the Jrue Holiday deal with New Orleans.
- Keep it Cavalier explains why Anthony Bennett should go to the D-League.
- Shaw Sports wonders about Andrew Bynum‘s future.
- The Brooklyn Game says it’s okay to be a little checked out on the Nets.
- Pounding The Rock wonders if Tiago Splitter needs new tricks.
- 48 Minutes Of Hell breaks down the Spurs’ break down of the Mavs’ D.
- Cavs: The Blog says don’t go home with hope.
Hoops Rumors Originals
Here’s a look back at the original reporting and analysis produced by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Chuck Myron crunched the numbers on players that are done for the season and found that they are making a collective $54.2MM this season.
- Luke Adams looked at player and team options for 2014/15.
- Here’s a breakdown of early bird and non-bird exception signings put together by Jonathan Nehring.
- Jonathan also brings us the players signed through bird rights.
- Chuck looked at upcoming contract guarantee decisions.
- The most memorable story of 2013, according to Hoops Rumors readers, was Derrick Rose‘s pair of season-ending injuries.
- Andrew Bynum will be waived by the Cavs and sign with another team, according to Hoops Rumors Readers.
- The majority of you say that Rajon Rondo isn’t getting traded to the Knicks.
- If you missed Luke’s chat on Christmas Day, check out the transcript here.
- Pick up the Hoops Rumors app today!