And-Ones: Harris, Murphy, Edwin, Dirk
With the D-League trade deadline in the rear view mirror, Gino Pilato of D-League Digest looks back at the biggest transactions of the year. The L.A. D-Fenders’ acquisition of Manny Harris tops the list. The Lakers‘ affiliate got Harris from the Canton Charge in exchange for a 2014 second round draft pick and the guard currently leads the NBA D-League in scoring average and even earned a call-up after a month in L.A. Here’s more from around the Association..
- The 76ers plan to workout D-League guard Kevin Murphy, an audition that could lead to 10-day deal, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Murphy is averaging ~26 PPG for the Idaho Stampede.
- James Nunnally will also get a workout with the 76ers, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Nunnally had two 10-day contracts earlier this season with the Hawks.
- Seton Hall standout Fuquan Edwin hasn’t seen a whole lot of Ws during his collegiate career but he’s still happy with his time in South Orange, New Jersey. “It’s definitely been a pleasure playing at the university with the great coaching staff that we have,” Edwin told Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders. “I think coach helped me tremendously in developing my game. We haven’t really won games or got far in my career, but it has definitely been a blast overall playing these last four years.” Barring a surprise run in the Big East tournament, Edwin’s collegiate career is on the verge of coming to an end. The small forward is currently projected to be taken late in the second round by DraftExpress.
- Stars who stick with one franchise are getting increasingly rare, but Mavericks
big man Dirk Nowitzki is an exception, writes Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer. “I basically grew up in Dallas,” Dirk said. “I came over here at 19 or 20 and now I’m 35. I’ve spent half of my life here. It is important for me to be a Maverick because I have deep connections with this franchise. The fans supported me through disappointing playoff losses. They were always by my side as I grew as a player. I can’t see myself playing for another franchise.” - Suns coach Jeff Hornacek is targeting Wednesday’s game versus Washington for a return of injured guard Eric Bledsoe, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. Bledsoe will initially be coming off of the bench.
- Earl “The Pearl” Monroe threw his support behind former teammate Phil Jackson who could be taking over the Knicks front office, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Eastern Notes: Bradley, Bynum, Liggins
Celtics guard Avery Bradley missed 32 games last season recovering from shoulder surgery and 16 this season with an ankle injury, but he’s not worried about that affecting his value as he nears restricted free agency, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “I think I’ve [proven my worth] throughout this year because you can’t really control something like [the ankle],” he said. “But the last 16 games or whatever that I come back, I am going to go out there and play hard. This is a game I love to play. We need to go out there and prove to our fans and to ourselves we’re going to fight no matter what.” More out of the East..
- Pacers big man Andrew Bynum says he’s “probably at 80% but good enough to go,” tweets Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star. Even if Bynum isn’t 100%, it sounds like he’ll be making his Pacers debut sometime soon.
- DeAndre Liggins played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce in the D-League today and will rejoin the Heat in time for Miami game Monday night, tweets Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel. Liggins who was signed to a second 10-day contract on March 8th, has appeared in one game for Miami, scoring two points and grabbing one rebound. The Heat confirmed the news via press release.
- The Raptors announced that they have recalled rookie Dwight Buycks from the Bakersfield Jam. The guard is averaging 15.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 28.8 minutes in eight games (two starts) with the Jam. Buycks has appeared in 13 games for the Raptors this season recording 41 points, 10 assists, 20 rebounds and six steals in 124 minutes.
Eddie Scarito contributed to this post.
Cavs Believe They Can Land LeBron
It may seem like a long shot, but the 24-40 Cavaliers believe that they can still lure LeBron James back to Cleveland, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal. The Cavs made sure to schedule Zydrunas Ilgauskas‘ retirement on a night that the Heat had off and the club used the event as a chance to try and pluck at LeBron’s heartstrings.
Lloyd notes that the Cavs still have the assets to pull off a mammoth trade this summer at the draft and get another star to entice James. Kevin Love and LaMarcus Aldridge will be entering the final years of their contracts and if the Timberwolves or Trail Blazers come to the conclusion they can’t re-sign their stars, this summer is the time to move them. If they’re available, the Cavs will be at the front of the line with young players and future draft picks. It all sounds like fantasy, but as Lloyd rightfully notes, the fact James could listen to a speech from Dan Gilbert in person just three-and-a-half years after The Decision and its aftermath is remarkable.
Meanwhile, Ilgauskas could be on his way out of Cleveland. It’s an open secret that Ilgauskas is unhappy with his role in the front office and while he’s technically an assistant to the General Manager, the GM who he was working under is no longer with the club.
Hoops Links: Smith, Carmelo, Lakers
On this date in 1994, Chicago’s Scottie Pippen and Pete Myers became the first set of teammates in NBA history to convert four-point plays in the same game, with both turning the trick in the fourth quarter of the Bulls’ 116-95 win over the visiting Hawks.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want featured on Hoops Rumors? Send the link over to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere..
- Six Championship Drive wants Josh Smith to check out his shot chart.
- UTN Sports looks at the race in the West.
- Sean Mason’s Sports Blog looks at different scenarios for Carmelo Anthony.
- Hardwood Paroxysm says this is the worst Lakers team ever.
- Bucksketball says Julius Randle could be the answer in Milwaukee.
- The Brooklyn Game discusses Jason Collins‘ social impact.
If you have a suggestion for Hoops Links, send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
Hoops Rumors Originals
A look back at the original work generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Chuck Myron rolled out his first edition of the 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings. You’ll never guess who No. 1 is! (No, just kidding, you know who it is.)
- Charlie Adams looked at Chris Bosh‘s stock as he heads into the open market this summer.
- Chuck updates us on the protected 2014 first-round picks.
- We rounded up the best comments Hoops Rumors readers had to offer.
- Should the Lakers hang on to MarShon Brooks? Most of you say yes.
- Carmelo Anthony may be No. 2 on the Free Agent Power Rankings list, but no one has generated as much chatter as he has, Chuck writes.
- Here are the clubs who have yet to issue a 10-day deal.
- Eddie Scarito asked Hoops Rumors readers if the Knicks and Phil Jackson are a good match.
- If you missed out on Monday’s chat, check out the transcript here.
- Is your team lottery bound? You can keep track of the race to the bottom with Hoops Rumors’ Reverse Standings.
Week In Review: 3/3/14 – 3/9/14
Knicks GM Steve Mills met with Phil Jackson a couple of weeks ago to offer up the team’s head coaching position, but the Hall of Famer said that he wasn’t interested in returning to the sidelines. Now, it appears the Knicks have offered him a job in their front office and Jackson is expected to make his decision in the coming days. The 68-year-old would reportedly be “handsomely compensated” if he said yes, but Jackson certainly isn’t hard up for money. More from the week that was..
- The Knicks are reportedly keeping Mike Woodson around so that they can use him as a scapegoat in their pitch to Carmelo Anthony. In addition to pinning the blame on Woodson, Dolan plans to sell Anthony on his financial incentive to re-sign with the Knicks, promise to bring in another superstar no later than 2015, and vow that he’ll hire a marquee coach this summer.
- Joakim Noah pitched Anthony on joining the Bulls at All-Star Weekend. For his part, Melo denied that such talk took place.
- Execs and agents are worried that we’re headed for a lockout in 2017.
- The Bulls’ pursuit of Melo hinges on Nikola Mirotic.
- Mike D’Antoni‘s future with the Lakers seems questionable.
- Nate Robinson will opt in for 2014/15.
- Notable draft prospect Dario Saric is considering a multi-year deal in Turkey.
- Andrew Bogut‘s bonus could push the Warriors into tax territory.
- The Wizards gave Drew Gooden another 10-day deal.
- Steve Nash is probably done for the year.
- The Kings gave Royce White a 10-day.
- The Bobcats signed Justin Hamilton to a 10-day.
- The Knicks’ D-League affiliate waived Chris Smith.
- The Nets signed Jorge Gutierrez to a 10-day. They also gave Jason Collins a second 10-day.
- The Thunder inked Reggie Williams to a 10-day pact.
- The Bucks signed Tony Mitchell to a 10-day deal.
- Arinze Onuaku got another 10-day from the Cavs.
- The Magic gave Dewayne Dedmon another 10-day. Ditto for Adonis Thomas.
- The Kings will probably keep the hard-working Orlando Johnson for the year.
- Vitor Faverani is done for the year.
- Chris Bosh says he’ll play until he’s 36.
Bucks Sign Tony Mitchell To 10-Day Contract
TUESDAY, 10:58am: The team officially announced the move, via Twitter.
MONDAY, 5:30pm: The Bucks are set to sign forward Tony Mitchell to a 10-day contract, sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Mitchell has been with the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Mitchell is putting up averages of 19.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 21 games with Fort Wayne this season. It’s an encore of his 2012/13 campaign in which he put up 21.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest over 48 games. Mitchell, 24, was in camp with the Kings over the offseason but was unable to survive the final cut.
The 6’6″ forward is not to be confused with the Pistons’ 6’9″ forward of the same name. The Bucks’ Mitchell was a standout at Alabama while the Pistons forward made his name at North Texas.
Cavs Sign Arinze Onuaku To Second 10-Day
TUESDAY, 10:40am: Cleveland has made the signing official, the team announced on its website.
MONDAY, 9:48pm: The Cavaliers will sign forward Arinze Onuaku to a second 10-day contract, a league source told Shams Charania of RealGM. Onuaku’s first 10-day deal expired on Monday.
Before hooking on with Cleveland, the undrafted 6’9″ forward also found his way to a deal with the Pelicans. In four games this season for the Cavs and Pelicans, Onuaku has scored three points and grabbed seven rebounds in 26 minutes.
The 26-year-old spent parts of the past two seasons with the Canton Charge, Cleveland’s D-League affiliate. This season, he has appeared in 27 games for Canton with averages of 14.4 PPG, 9.7 RPG and 1.0 BPG in 24.2 MPG.
Odds & Ends: Cunningham, Suns, Abdul-Jabbar
Welp, this figures to be a fun MVP race. In case you were leaning towards the likes of Kevin Durant or Chris Paul, LeBron James re-stated his case tonight in a big, big way. The Heat star put up a career-high 61 points on 22-33 shooting, 8-10 from three-point range, with seven rebounds, and five assists. LeBron bested his previous career-high of 56 (2005 against the Raptors) and blew past Glen Rice‘s franchise record of 56 points. Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..
- Former Oregon State star Jared Cunningham says he plans to sign with an NBA team this week, writes Conner Letourneau of The Oregonian.
- The Morris twins will be eligible for contract extensions in the fall and both players are hoping they’ll be with the Suns, together, for the long-term, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. “The game is more fun when I have my brother. I look forward to it every day. look forward to getting better. I look forward to watching him get better and I know he looks forward to me improving and having good games. I’m excited when he plays good, even when I don’t play good. If I see him scoring and all the small stuff to win, I’m excited and that brings me up no matter what,” Markieff Morris said of playing with brother Marcus Morris.
- Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says he’s interested in returning in some capacity to the Bucks, writes Andrew Wagner of the Associated Press. “If I get a call, I will definitely offer my services,” said the Bucks’ career leading scorer with 14,211 points. “There’s nothing on the table right now. A couple of people have asked me and if I had the chance to be part of this franchise again, I would take it.“
- If Dwyane Wade continues to play at his current level and helps lead the Heat to another championship, there won’t be much negotiating when it comes to his contract, writes Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders. Wade recently re-iterated his desire to stay put in Miami to David Aldridge of NBA.com.
Northwest Notes: Fredette, Butler, Nuggets
Earlier today, Chuck Myron released the first edition of the 2014 Free Agency Power Rankings. Jazz forward Gordon Hayward, who will be a restricted free agent this summer, comes in at No. 8 on the list. Utah was unable to hammer out an extension with the soon-to-be 24-year-old before the season began and it seems like they’ll have to pay a hefty price to hang on to him this offseason. More out of the Northwest..
- It may come as a surprise, but Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports hears from a source that the Jazz never seriously pursued Jimmer Fredette. The former BYU superstar was on the open market after being bought out by the Kings and, of course, wound up inking a deal with the Bulls.
- Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman has a Q&A with the newest member of the Thunder, Caron Butler. Within the interview session, the veteran touches on why he chose to join OKC and what he brings to the Western Conference power.
- The Nuggets have a rising prospect waiting in the wings in Europe’s Joffrey Lauvergne, writes Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post. The 22-year-old, currently playing in Serbia, was selected with the 55th pick in last year’s NBA draft by the Grizzlies and traded to the Nuggets on draft night. The 6-foot-11 power forward and center is turning heads with his stretch four skillset and three-point range.