Atlantic Notes: Thorn, Wallace, 76ers, Nets
For years, the Atlantic Division was dismissed as the weakest in the NBA, even during the Nets' run as back-to-back Eastern Conference champions. The architect of those teams, current Sixers president Rod Thorn, says that the division is now the toughest in the league, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. “Oh my goodness, I think the Atlantic Division is the best division in basketball right now,’’ Thorn said. “Every team is better. Jersey (Brooklyn) got way better. Even Toronto will be better. I think Boston also got better. Every team in the Atlantic got better, and until someone beats Boston, they should be favored.’’ Here's more out of the stacked Atlantic..
- Rasheed Wallace, who has had multiple teams offer to bring him out of retirement over the last two years, said that he only wanted to play for Knicks coach Mike Woodson, writes Nate Taylor of the New York Times. The two became close when Woodson served as an assistant coach for the 2004 Pistons championship team.
- Sixers coach Doug Collins likes the flexibility that he has with this year's roster, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. With Andrew Bynum sidelined, the club was able to move Spencer Hawes up to the center position with Thaddeus Young manning the four in the starting lineup. Outside of that, the Sixers' bench has several players who can move between multiple positions.
- After struggling to fill out the rotation for the last two seasons, Nets coach Avery Johnson now finds himself with the opposite problem, writes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post. As it stands now, C.J. Watson, MarShon Brooks, Josh Childress, Mirza Teletovic, and Andray Blatche figure to be the first five off of the bench. However, others such as Keith Bogans and Reggie Evans could make a strong case for minutes as well.
Odds & Ends: Kobe, Nets, Deron, Anderson
After getting media day out of the way on Monday, the Lakers took to the floor for their first full open practice. While they're not in full scrimmage mode yet, press in attendance did get to see the early stages of the Princeton Offense with one of the system's biggest proponents, assistant coach Eddie Jordan, overseeing everything. The new scheme won't be the only big change this year as head coach Mike Brown says that he wants to cut down on Kobe Bryant's minutes in 2012/13, tweets Mike Trudell of NBA.com. The 34-year-old was asked to play 38.5 minutes per game, but Brown says that the team's improved depth will allow him to give his star guard more rest. More from around the Association..
- Despite the frustrations of last season, Nets point guard Deron Williams is confident that the team will turn things around thanks to their offseason upgrades, writes Roderick Boone of Newsday. Coach Avery Johnson added that Williams seems more focused now that the distraction of free agency is in his rear view mirror.
- Former Wizards forward Andray Blatche is grateful for his new opportunity with the Nets, Boone writes. "Last season with the Wizards, the whole situation that happened there was really a wake-up call to show me that the job of my life, the job I love doing, can be taken from me in an instant. So to see what happened to me, to see that I have another chance, I don't want that to happen again," Blatche said. The Wizards amnestied the 26-year-old and absorbed the remaining $23MM owed to him earlier this year.
- Hornets rookie Anthony Davis already sees the benefit of new arrival Ryan Anderson being on the roster, writes John Reid of The Times Picayune. The sharpshooting forward has the ability to knock down shots from the outside and take attention away from the No. 1 overall pick on the inside.
- The 76ers have hired former Nets scout Jordan Cohn as their new pro personnel scout, writes John Finger of CSNPhilly.com. Cohn spent the previous eight seasons covering the NBA, D-League, and NCAA games in New Jersey. The club is also set to hire an analytics guru in the near future, according to General Manager Tony DiLeo.
- Celtics summer league standout Stephane Lasme has signed with Greek team Panathinaikos Athens, according to Jessica Camerato of CSNNE.com.
Central Notes: Bulls, Gibson, Pistons, Allen
Here's a look at the latest out of the Central Division..
- The Bulls and Taj Gibson have been talking about a possible extension since June, but the forward says that he isn't preoccupied with the contract talk, writes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com. Yesterday, it was reported that the two sides are "getting closer" on agreeing to a long-term extension. For his part, Gibson has said that he would like to remain in Chicago.
- For the Pistons to have success in 2012/13, they'll need further development from their young players and an immediate impact from the newcomers, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Forward/Center Greg Monroe is among those who need to take the next big leap in Goodwill's view.
- Despite his brother Tony Allen's ties to Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, Ryan Allen is a long shot to make Chicago's roster, as Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com writes. However, it helps that like his older brother, the younger Allen also very defensive-minded – an obvious plus with Thibodeau.
Heat Exercise Norris Cole’s Option
8:01pm: The Heat have confirmed the extension via press release.
7:42pm: The Heat have exercised Norris Cole's $1.2MM option for the 2013/14 season, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com (via Twitter). The Cleveland State product averaged 6.8 PPG with 2.0 APG and 0.7 SPG in his rookie campaign last season.
The 28th overall pick in the draft impressed early on in the season, making him look to be one of the early steals of the 2011 class. However, the explosive athlete would quickly hit the rookie wall and had a rather up-and-down year in total. Regardless, the Heat believe that the explosive athlete has shown enough upside to warrant another year under contract in Miami.
Northwest Notes: Jazz, Millsap, Carter
Israeli point guard Gal Mekel wasn't talked about much as a possibility for the NBA this summer but yesterday we learned that the Jazz have their eye on him. However, visa complications would make it difficult for Mekel to get into camp on time and make his case for a roster spot. If the 24-year-old does wind up with the Jazz or another club, he would become the league's second Israeli player after Cleveland's Omri Casspi. Here's more on the Jazz and other notes out of the Northwest division..
- Paul Millsap reiterated yesterday that he'd "absolutely" like to re-sign with the Jazz next summer, but it's unclear whether the Jazz will commit to both Millsap and Derrick Favors long-term, writes Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune. Over the summer, the Jazz reportedly offered Millsap a three-year, $25MM contract extension.
- Millsap is among the players to keep an eye on as they enter a contract year, according to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. The 27-year-old has shown progress in every season and another significant step forward can put him in line for a major payday in the summer. As it stands now, the powerful big man looks to be one of the bigger gets in the 2013 free agent class.
- Fan favorite Anthony Carter is excited to be back with the Nuggets in camp, even though he is fighting to crack the roster during this go 'round, writes Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post. Denver's signings of Carter and Ben Uzoh yesterday brought the roster count to 17. The two are now in a three-horse race with point guard Julyan Stone for the final spot with the club.
Odds & Ends: Jefferson, Batum, Brand, Nene
In a busy NBA offseason, the Jazz haven't been talked about a great deal on a national level after adding Randy Foye and Marvin Williams to a talented young core. However, big man Al Jefferson is certainly taking notice. Referring to former General Manager Kevin O'Connor and current GM Dennis Lindsey, Jefferson said "The GMs did a hell of a job improving our team. I feel a lot better," tweets Steve Luhm of The Salt Lake Tribune. Jefferson is also entering his walk year, but he says that he hasn't given it any thought (Twitter link). Here's more from around the league as Sunday turns into Monday..
- Joe Freeman of The Oregonian looks at the biggest questions facing the Blazers this season. Among them is whether Nicolas Batum can take the next big step and justify the $45MM contract he was given this summer. Part of that leap will be an attitude adjustment as Batum often appears to look passive on the floor.
- Mavericks forward Elton Brand says that he expects to serve as the club's enforcer in 2012/13, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. Dallas claimed the former All-Star off of waivers back in July after he was amenstied by the 76ers.
- If the Wizards hope to turn things around this year, they'll need a major contribution from forward Nene, writes Michael Lee of The Washington Post. Nene, acquired at last year's deadline from Denver, has battled back from two major setbacks in his career and will have to stay healthy in order for the Wizards to stay competitive this season.
Poll: Who Has The Best Backcourt In The NBA?
The Nets had everything they needed for a clean slate heading into the 2012/13 season: a new locale, a massive state-of-the-art arena, and even a complete rebranding. A sweet black-and-white color scheme and Calexico tacos in the concourse will only get you so far though. General Manager Billy King & Co. made a handful of bold moves this summer, but none bigger than the trade that brought Joe Johnson into the fold. The Nets were quick to introduce the sharpshooter to the press alongside star point guard Deron Williams. At the presser, King didn't mince words when speaking about the potential of the pair.
"This is a great day, because we've put together what I call the best backcourt in the NBA," King said, according to Ben Couch of NBA.com. "There are a lot of good backcourts, but I don't think there are many where you've got two guys that can get 18-20 points every night and defend their positions."
There's no denying that the Nets are a stronger team after pairing one of the league's best one-guards with an elite scorer, but does that give them the top backcourt in the Association? Lakers star Kobe Bryant and summer acquisition Steve Nash don't see it that way. Bryant celebrated his 34th birthday in August and Nash will turn 39 before this year's All-Star break, but the two are still undeniably among the best at what they do. And while Bryant was forced to carry the perimeter scoring burden at times last season, he'll now have Nash to help keep defenses honest. Of course, it also helps that the pair will have the league's best center in the post to anchor everything. Looking at the backcourt as a separate entity, do you have Bryant and Nash over Williams and Johnson?
Who Has The Best Starting Backcourt?
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Lakers 78% (651)
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Nets 23% (189)
Total votes: 840
Hoops Rumors Originals: 9/24/12 – 9/30/12
Here's a look back at the original analysis produced by the Hoops Rumors team this week..
- Luke ran down the remaining free agents who are seeking more than the minimum.
- The Spurs couldn't find a suitable trade for DeJuan Blair this summer, but nearly 75% of Hoops Rumors readers don't see him finishing the year in San Antonio.
- I looked at Josh Smith as an extension candidate for the Hawks.
- Chuck looked at what it might take for the Jazz to lock up Paul Millsap.
- Here's a reminder on how non-guaranteed contracts work.
- If you haven't done so already, check out our 2012 Free Agent Tracker.
- We also offered a refresher on our Commenting Policy.
- Take a look at all of the unique features offered on Hoops Rumors.
Odds & Ends: Thibodeau, Celtics, Green, Lakers
Tonight's look around the Association..
- Even if the Bulls and coach Tom Thibodeau are unable to reach agreement on an extension, K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes that it won't be a distraction for the hyper-focused coach. While many would expect a coach of Thibodeau's caliber to secure a deal well in advance of its expiration, Johnson notes that Thunder coach Scott Brooks and Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle both coached out their last contracts before re-signing.
- Despite concerns about his health after missing last season with a heart issue, Celtics coach Doc Rivers says that forward Jeff Green has some of the best conditioning on the team, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. Many have questioned the wisdom of giving Green a four-year, $36MM deal, particularly since it does not offer some type of insurance should his heart condition resurface.
- Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register previews the Lakers with five questions surrounding the team as they enter the 2012/13 season. Chief among them is how Kobe Bryant and the newly-acquired Steve Nash will co-exist together in the backcourt. For the offense to run smoothly, Ding opines that Bryant will have to take a backseat at times in order to allow Nash and Dwight Howard to operate effectively.
Extension Candidate: Josh Smith
For eight seasons in Atlanta, Josh Smith has been a key part of the franchise through its stronger seasons (see: 2007/08-present) and it's less-than-stellar years (see: all three years preceding that). However, Smith hasn't always had the smoothest relationship with the Hawks' front office. A week prior to this year's trade deadline, the forward made it known that he wanted out in order to get a fresh start on his career. Smith stopped short of rehashing his trade demand in late May, but his comments didn't read like someone who wanted to play for the Hawks beyond his walk year in 2012/13. Those, of course, are just the most prominent stories of Smith's dissatisfaction with the club during the Hoops Rumors era – it's hard to remember a recent season in which Smith didn't have some degree of friction with the Hawks.
However, he seems to have turned a corner as General Manager Danny Ferry says that Smith is now open to a long-term future in Atlanta. Smith is set to earn $13.2MM in 2012/13 and on the surface would appear to be in line for a lucrative long-term extension after establishing career-highs in points (18.8 PPG) and rebounds (9.6 RPG). The durable forward also turned in another healthy and productive season, starting in all 66 regular season games. However, the collective bargaining agreement prevents Smith from securing an extension longer than three years.
Will Smith's rekindled love for the Hawks make him want to forfeit the opportunity for a four- or five-year commitment next summer? It's possible, but even Ferry doesn't like his chances of making that happen as he intimated that a new deal probably wouldn't be worked out until next summer. Regardless, the Hawks can be expected to try their best to get Smith to agree to a three-year pact at a team friendly price of ~$45MM. If not, Smith can put his toe in the water this time next year and stand out in a class of power forwards that will also include the likes of Paul Millsap and David West.