Pacific Notes: Clippers, Van Gundy, Paul, Suns
Here’s a look at the latest out of the Pacific Division..
- Rob Mahoney of Sports Illustrated ran down the remaining coaching vacancies and the best fit for each one, including the Clippers. In Mahoney’s estimation, Jeff Van Gundy is the best fit for the other L.A. job as he can unlock the defensive potential resting in the club’s frontcourt. George Karl has also been linked to the opening and Mahoney feels that he would be a solid alternative if something can’t be worked out with JVG.
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld explains how the Clippers can hang on to Chris Paul this summer. While the Clippers are the odds-on-favorites to sign CP3, they can help lock things up with the right coaching hire. Brian Shaw would be one quality candidate, but Ingram feels that Karl would give them the best chance of retaining their star guard.
- The Suns might consider a backcourt upgrade in the draft later this month, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. The Suns, of course, hold the No. 5 pick in the draft.
Kobe On Recovery, Retirement, Howard
It would be an understatement to say that the 2012/13 season was a disappointment for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant. Bryant helped will the Lakers into the playoffs with a late-season surge but had to watch his club get bounced by the Spurs from the sidelines. Now, six weeks into his rehabilitation program, the 34-year-old sat down with Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com to discuss his future and plans for the summer. Here's a look at the highlights..
Will you be ready for the 2013/14 opener?
"I hope so. That's the challenge. With the tendon, there's really only but so much you can do. There's a certain amount of time that they deem necessary for the tendon to heal where you don't overstretch it and now you never get that spring back. So, you just have to be patient, let the tendon heal and then when that moment comes when they say, 'OK, we can take off the regulator so to speak and now it's on you to train as hard as you can to get back to where you want to be,' that's going to be a good day."
On courting Dwight Howard back to L.A.:
"For me, you kind of let him do his due diligence and then move in and talk to him and figure out if this is a place he wants to be. We all want him here. But then that's when the selling begins [after Howard is courted by other teams]. You don't start the selling process right before he goes and does all this stuff. You want to get the last word. You want to have the final word and the closing argument. I'll give him a little opening statement, but then I have to make sure I have the final word."
What if Howard goes elsewhere?
"This franchise is a franchise that you really don't have to worry about too much, because no matter what happens, whether it's a year from now, two years from now, whatever the case may be, they're always going to find a way to have an impact on this league. It's gotten to a point at this stage in my career where those lines of communication are more open and we talk more frequently both with [general manager] Mitch [Kupchak] and [vice president of player personnel] Jimmy [Buss] and [vice president of business operations] Jeanie [Buss] to a certain extent. Those lines of communication are open."
On Phil Jackson's book stating that Michael Jordan is the superior player:
"I talked to Phil about it. I said, 'You know, you can't compare me at [age] 21-22-23 to Michael at 28-29-30. That's not a fair comparison. But, you know, I'm comfortable at resting on my five [championships] and what I had to do for this team to be successful. We both had different roles and [Jordan has] had his level of frustration coming up as a young player and challenges that he had to deal with and I had mine in playing a different role to what I thought naturally I could do. We had different career paths, man, so it's kind of tough to [compare]. At least for me it is, anyway."
On retirement plans:
"I don't know if I want a farewell tour because I want that competition. I want the crowd being on top of you all the time. I wouldn't want a farewell tour. No. I wouldn't do that."
Pacific Notes: Howard, Gasol, Kobe, Kings
Dwight Howard is keeping mum on what his plans might be after July 1st, but if you’re one for reading between the lines, yesterday’s comments to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times could carry some weight. The prized free agent referred to his time with Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni in the past tense. “He’s a great person and I’m glad we had the opportunity to be together,” Howard said. Here’s more out of the Pacific Division..
- Pau Gasol said he hasn’t talked to Dwight Howard this offseason and won’t try to convince him to return, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “He has to make the decision,” Gasol said. Gasol wants Howard back like everyone else on the Lakers but he wants to give him space out of respect for him.
- Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie is still playing a key role with the team even as he knows he’s in his final month with the franchise, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Sulia link). Until the Kings hire a new GM, Petrie and his staff are running all the preparations and research leading up to the NBA Draft on June 27.
- Until Kings ownership settles on a new general manager, new coach Michael Malone is leaning on Petrie, Jones writes. “I just told (Petrie) how much I appreciate him sticking around because he knows the draft a lot better than I do,” Malone said. “He’s been studying these guys … And he also can offer great insights to the current players on our roster as to what their strengths, weaknesses are and personalities. But I’m still going to keep an open mind and form my opinion on these guys.”
- Kobe Bryant doesn’t envision Mike Krzyzewski talking him into playing in the 2016 Olympics, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLA.com.
- With Jason Kidd retiring, Steve Nash is now the NBA’s oldest player under contract for next season, notes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
Knicks Notes: Kidd, Selby, Draft
Knicks fans got a bit of surprising news earlier today when Jason Kidd announced that he is retiring. The future Hall of Famer still had two seasons and $6.18MM remaining on his three-year contract with the Knicks and despite his shooting woes to close out the Knicks' season, he had a strong 2012/13 campaign on the whole. Here's more on Kidd and other notes out of MSG..
- The NBA will miss Kidd’s presence on the court, but don’t be surprised if he surfaces in the NBA next season as a coach, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. I could certainly see Kidd taking a run at coaching, but it may not be right away.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (viaTwitter) says to keep an eye on Josh Selby in free agency. The guard's priority is figuring out his summer league and then signing with a team, though its not known if the Knicks have interest yet. For what it's worth, Selby and Carmelo Anthony are friends from their days in Baltimore and are still close. Anthony was hoping the Knicks would draft Selby in 2011, but he went to the Grizzlies in the second round instead.
- Point guard prospect Nate Wolters out of South Dakota State will be working out for the Knicks, Zwerling tweets. Wolters is a projected late first/early second round pick.
- Nets GM Billy King issued a statement on Kidd's retirement. "[Kidd] was the captain of the Nets during their most successful period in the NBA, and is considered the greatest player in the Nets' NBA history. On behalf of the entire Brooklyn Nets organization, we congratulate him on his Hall of Fame career," King said, according to the AP. With all due respect for Kidd, Drazen Petrovic is considered by some to be the greatest Nets player in their NBA history.
Draft Notes: Burke, Kings, Gobert, Karasev
The buzz on the smaller point guards in the 2013 Draft has not been positive, writes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. Michigan's Trey Burke is widely regarded as the top one-guard in this year's class, but he's getting a lot of criticism for being too slow at the next level. Despite his lack of a fifth-gear, Burke's still likely to land somewhere in the top ten. Here's more on the draft..
- Here's a surprising bit of news: the Kings, who own the No. 7 pick, are showing interest in French center Rudy Gobert, according to Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Most mock drafts have him as a late lottery/mid-first round pick, but none have him pegged for the top ten.
- More from Kyler, who writes that reviews are mixed on Sergey Karasev's performance this weekend in Las Vegas. Two big concerns from NBA teams were his rather slender frame and his overall feel for the game. The guard/forward is pegged as a late first-round pick in most mock drafts.
- Vegas wasn't an ideal setting for Karasev, writes Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd). Karasev had visa issues in Russia and wasn't able to get to Vegas until after midnight on the day of the event and was clearly sluggish from the long trip. Ford sees his draft range Karasev's draft range starting with the Timberwolves at No. 9 and the floor being the Nets at No. 22.
- Prospect Steven Adams is in Oklahoma City and worked out for the Thunder today, writes Royce Young of DailyThunder.com. The Pitt center made it clear that he'd like to land in OKC, saying in a Facebook video: “I’d love to be drafted here, man, straight up." Adams could be on the board when the Thunder draft at No. 12, but it's not a certainty.
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (Twitter link) pegs the odds of the Cavs dealing the No. 1 pick at just 10% based on the overall lack of interest in it.
- Point guard prospect Isaiah Canaan will work out for the Knicks and Nets soon, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. The Murray State product is projected to go towards the end of the first round or early in the second.
- Cody Zeller impressed in his workout for the Jazz, writes Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune. The Jazz pick at No. 14.
- Today, the Blazers worked out guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, forward Jared Berggren, guard Sherwood Brown, forward Brandon Davies, guard Abdul Gaddy, and guard Elijah Johnson, tweets Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
Odds & Ends: LeBron, Barry, Pierce, Suns
LeBron James is feeling the heat as he's seeing flashbacks to his shortcomings with the Cavs, opines Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer. For Pluto, the message of the series is that even when you stack your roster, there rarely is a smooth playoff road ahead. Things can go wrong, players can get hurt, and team chemistry can fizzle. The Heat will face the Pacers in Game 7 on Monday night and if Miami gets bounced, you can bet on the summer of 2014 talk ramping up in a hurry. Here's more from around the Association..
- The NBA salary cap won't change much from this season to next season as Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that it will go from $58.044MM to $58.5MM.
- Rick Barry realizes that his outspoken ways may have cost him an NBA job, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. The 69-year-old lives in Denver and hosts a nationally syndicated talk show but hasn't had the kind of opportunities that most players of his stature have gotten. Barry infamously attempted to teach Shaquille O'Neal his grandma-style free throw technique years ago in offseason practice sessions, but the big man refused to implement it during the season.
- HoopsWorld's Derek Page ran down the top five free agent small forwards this summer. Andre Iguodala and Paul Pierce are among the notable names on the list, but they may not see the open market.
- The HoopsWorld staff debated what the Suns should do with the No. 5 pick. Shabazz Muhammad is suggested as an intriguing fit for Phoenix, but his baggage likely wouldn't be worth the risk.
Atlantic Notes: Ujiri, Raptors, Knicks, Lawal
Masai Ujiri is the new man in charge in Toronto and he's not wasting any time in making changes to the Raptors organization. Here's more on that and other news out of the Atlantic..
- After letting Ed Stefanski and several scouts go, Ujiri is quickly moving to re-staff the front office, writes Doug Smith of the Toronto Star. League sources say the Raptors have already conducted interviews with assistant coach hopefuls Nick Nurse of the Rio Grande Vipers of the D League, Nets assistant Popeye Jones, and ex-NBA player Tyronn Lue. No one on the current staff is signed past June 30th and and it’s expected none will be in town this week when some players come back for workout sessions with the team’s training staff.
- Well-regarded scout Maury Hanks is among the people that have been let go by Ujiri, a source tells Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (via Twitter). Hanks spent more than a decade with the Nets before joining the Raptors organization.
- The Knicks are interested in Gani Lawal, agent Dan Curtin tells Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. The Knicks are "interested" in Lawal and will likely work him out after he finishes the season with Italian team Virtus Roma. Curtin said he could envision a one-year contract at the minimum level with an NBA team. Lawal played with the Iman Shumpert at Georgia Tech from 2008-10.
Timberwolves Looking To Move Up In Draft
The Timberwolves will try to deal Derrick Williams and No. 9 pick to move up in the draft, according to Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press. It's not known who the Timberwolves might be targeting, however.
This certainly isn't the first time that the Wolves have explored a trade for Williams and finding a solid return for him could prove to be difficult. The former No. 2 overall pick hasn't lived up to his potential in Minnesota, averaging 10.5 PPG with 5.1 RPG in his first two seasons.
A change of scenery might do Williams some good, however, as he's just a couple years removed from his status as a promising prospect. The forward attacked the basket in his days at Arizona and did well with his opportunities on the free throw line by converting 75% of the time. The 22-year-old boasts above-average raw strength but often times has found himself outmuscled by larger opponents in the NBA.
Draft Notes: Gobert, T’Wolves, Adams
Yesterday, we learned that the Mavericks are continuing to shop the No. 13 pick in the draft and they're not asking for all that much in return. Moving that selection would free up a little bit of extra cap space for Dallas as they hope to make a big free agent splash, which would ideally mean landing Chris Paul or Dwight Howard. Their chances for either player may not seem that strong right now, but Mark Cuban can certainly change things with a convincing pitch after July 1st. Here's today's draft news..
- French draft prospect Rudy Gobert reiterated to HoopsHype (Twitter link) that he has no intention of returning to Europe for another season, which means that he's not a candidate for a "stash" pick. DraftExpress' latest mock has Gobert going No. 10 to the Trail Blazers.
- The T'Wolves next set of workouts won't be until June 12th and that'll be a big man's day with Pittburgh's Steven Adams, Bucknell product (and Minnesota native) Mike Muscala, and others, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune. Adams figures to be a first round pick while Muscala is slated for the second round in most mock drafts.
- Minnesota senior Trevor Mbakwe will audition for the T'Wolves on June 19th, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
- Marquette guard Trent Lockett is working out for the Bulls and Bucks this week, according to Wolfson (via Twitter). Lockett was also at the big workout in Las Vegas on Friday where 26 teams had representatives.
Hoops Links: Bulls, Kings, Withey, Grizzlies
On this date in 2000, the Nets announced that they hired Rod Thorn as the team’s new president. Thorn, who previously worked under commissioner David Stern as the NBA’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, would go on to change everything New Jersey. One year later, Thorn managed to send a package centered around Stephon Marbury to the Suns for Jason Kidd. Along with sophomore Kenyon Martin, rookie Richard Jefferson, and longtime Nets Keith Van Horn and Kerry Kittles, the Nets went to their first NBA Finals in 2002.
Got a fantastic basketball blog piece that you want featured on Hoops Rumors? Send your submissions to HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here's this week's look around the web..
- Blog A Bull asks how bright the future is for the Bulls.
- Hardwood Paroxysm talks renewal in Sacramento.
- Celtics Life scouts out Jeff Withey.
- 3SOB remembers the ones that got away.
- Bucksketball gives us a crash course on Larry Drew.
- Pounding The Rock has a retrospective on the last six seasons in San Antonio.
- Bright Side Of The Sun breaks down Ryan McDonough's plan in Phoenix.
- Silver Screen And Roll isn't thrilled with Phil Jackson.
- Red94 talks South Beach.
- Hoops Addict breaks down the Grizzlies season.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, Zach can be reached here.