Hoops Rumors Originals
A look back at the original analysis generated by the Hoops Rumors staff this week..
- Jonathan Nehring looked at the players signed via the rookie exception.
- Chuck Myron ran down the training camp survivors.
- Luke Adams examined Ben Gordon as a trade candidate.
- A slight majority of you see Luol Deng playing somewhere other than Cleveland next season.
- Most of you say the Knicks should deal J.R. Smith for whatever they can.
- Here are the guys that were signed via minimum salary exception, courtesy of Jonathan.
- Is your favorite team Riggin’ For Wiggins? Check out our Reverse Standings.
- Play nice, everyone. Here’s a refresher on our Commenting Policy.
- Did you miss out on Luke’s chat? Get caught up here.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Smith, Patterson
After topping the Heat in double overtime, can the Nets good fortune continue? Maybe not. Star guard Deron Williams won’t be back in action in time for the club’s London tilt against the Hawks, the club announced earlier today. Here’s more out of the Atlantic..
- The Knicks are said to be working their way into the mix for Nuggets guard Andre Miller, but Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com is less-than-enthused about that idea. While the Knicks need help at the one-guard position, the club’s only real assets are Iman Shumpert and Tim Hardaway Jr., and Miller isn’t worth parting with either guy.
- J.R. Smith is in the Knicks‘ doghouse, but he says that he’s learned from his benching, writes ESPNNewYork.com’s Begley. The Knicks are said to be shopping Smith around, but that’s said to be more of a tactic to scare him straight, especially since there isn’t much of a market out there for him anyway.
- Patrick Patterson says that he has been a great fit with the Raptors thus far, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. The forward says he’s comfortable playing alongside Amir Johnson because of the similarities in their games. Patterson came north of the border in December’s Rudy Gay deal with the Kings.
Hoops Links: Lottery, Sixers, Deng, Bledsoe
On this date in 2000, Ray Allen of the Bucks, Grant Hill of the Pistons, and Alonzo Mourning of the Heat were selected as the final three members of the 2000 USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team, scheduled to participate in the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. Named previously to the USA Men’s Senior National Team were Vin Baker and Gary Payton of the SuperSonics; Tim Duncan of the Spurs; Kevin Garnett of the Timberwolves; Tom Gugliotta of the Suns; Tim Hardaway of the Heat; Allan Houston of the Knicks; Jason Kidd of the Suns; and Steve Smith of the Trail Blazers. Shockingly, this loaded team would barely eek out a semifinal win over Lithuania and had to fight hard to top France for the gold medal.
Got a great basketball blog post that you want to see featured on Hoops Rumors? Send it to me at HoopsLinks@gmail.com. Here’s this week’s look around the basketball blogosphere..
- Secret Rival looks at the three-year cumulative wins lottery proposal.
- Quadruple Double peers into the crystal ball to check out the 76ers’ future roster.
- Keep It Cavalier examines the Luol Deng deal from the Cavs’ perspective.
- iSportsWeb looks at what the Eric Bledsoe injury means for the Suns.
- It’s Boston Sean runs down his big board (1-10) for the 2014 draft.
- First And Ten Sport is on board with the Nets, tie or no tie.
If you have a suggestion for this feature, send it to Zach at HoopsLinks@gmail.com.
D-League Notes: De Colo, Franklin, McCallum
A look at today’s D-League assignments and recalls..
- Nando De Colo was recalled from the Austin Toros, the Spurs announced. The guard, who has been assigned to Austin five times this season, has appeared in eight D-League contests, averaging 23.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.75 steals in 37.1 minutes. He has appeared in 12 games this season for the Spurs, averaging 1.8 points, 1.3 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 7.0 minutes.
- The Grizzlies announced they have recalled guard Jamaal Franklin from theirD-League affiliate, the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. Franklin has averaged 10.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 24.3 minutes in three games through two assignments with Fort Wayne.
- Kings rookie guard Ray McCallum may have set a new record for quickest D-League assignment and recall. After being assigned to the Reno Bighorns this afternoon, he’s already back up and available for Sacramento’s game tonight against the Cavs.
- The Thunder announced that Andre Roberson has been recalled from the Tulsa 66ers. Roberson was sent down on Friday after he put up five points and six boards against the Nuggets the night before.
Week In Review: 1/6/14 – 1/12/14
Early Tuesday morning, the Cavs and Bulls agreed to swap disgruntled big man Andrew Bynum for pending free agent Luol Deng. With the deal, the Bulls got themselves a first-rounder and a pair of second-round choices and a whole lot of financial flexibility (Bynum was soon waived). The Cavs, of course, get to wash their hands of a failed gamble and come away with an All-Star caliber small forward. Here’s more from around the Association..
- The Grizzlies acquired Courtney Lee in a three-team deal that sent Jerryd Bayless to the Celtics. Lee was a client of Grizzlies CEO Jason Levien and front office exec Stu Lash when they were agents.
- The Cavs hope to keep Deng long-term.
- Eight teams are interested in Bynum.
- The Pelicans have been active in their pursuit of a trade involving Eric Gordon and are exploring three-team scenarios as well.
- Eric Bledsoe is out indefinitely after undergoing surgery.
- There could be mutual interest between Tom Thibodeau and the Knicks.
- The Raptors could hang on to Kyle Lowry.
- The Kings’ insistence on Travis Outlaw being involved in an Andre Miller deal has slowed down talks between them and the Nuggets.
- Meanwhile, the Knicks have discussed Miller with the Nuggets but there have been no formal offers yet.
- Those rumored talks between the Nets and Rockets are probably dead thanks to Deron Williams‘ ankle issues.
- J.R. Smith is unsure of his future with the Knicks. They’re currently trying to scare him straight with trade talk, but they know there’s not much of a market for him.
- The Rockets like Mike Dunleavy.
- Kirk Hinrich is drawing interest from the Warriors.
- The Bobcats are shopping Ben Gordon.
- The Clippers released Stephen Jackson.
- The Lakers released Shawne Williams.
- Mo Williams plans to opt out but hopes to re-sign.
- The Bucks are looking to move Gary Neal.
- The Hawks signed James Nunnally to a ten-day deal.
- The Bulls inked Cartier Martin to a ten-day after the Hawks dumped him.
- The Sixers waived Daniel Orton.
- The Celtics cut Ryan Gomes.
- Pierre Jackson has permission to seek a trade.
- The Rockets are trying to trade Donatas Motiejunas.
- The Jazz released Mike Harris.
- Chris Smith has joined the Erie BayHawks.
- The Clippers have given thought to Sasha Vujacic as well as Hedo Turkoglu.
- The NBA granted the Nets a DPE.
- The Clippers signed Darius Morris.
- The Suns brought Leandro Barbosa back with a ten-day pact.
- The Grizzlies said goodbye to Seth Curry. They thought about re-signing him but opted against it.
- The Kings waived Hamady N’Diaye.
- The Clippers re-signed Maalik Wayns.
- Keyon Dooling retired.
Odds & Ends: LeBron, D-League, Boogie, Melo
LeBron James has a lot of reasons to be unhappy following last night’s double overtime loss to the Nets, but he’s especially irked over Mirza Teletovic‘s foul on him in the fourth quarter. The horsecollar tackle has been outlawed in football, but Teletovic apparently wanted to give it a try on the hardwood. At any rate, the game saw the Nets beat the Heat for the second time this year behind Joe Johnson‘s team high 32 points. Here’s more from around the Association..
- Marc Stein of ESPN.com runs down his All-D-League Showcase team. Stein’s five: Pierre Jackson, Seth Curry, Devin Ebanks, James Nunnally, and Jarvis Varnado. No NBA assignees made the cut, but the Wolves’ Shabazz Muhammad and Nando De Colo and Malcolm Thomas of the Spurs all received something of an honorable mention.
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Count DeMarcus Cousins among those who are happy to see Rudy Gay with the Kings. “He helps this team out so much. Another option offensively – I think he’s great addition,” Boogie said, according to the Kings’ official Twitter account. Since joining Sacramento, Gay is averaging 20.6 PPG and, perhaps more importantly, a career-high PER of 19.7.
- Before last night’s game, James offered up some unsolicited advice for free-agent-to-be Carmelo Anthony, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com observes. “You got to do whatever makes [you] happy at the end of the day. If you’re happy, the game of basketball is going to be fun for you,” the Heat star said. “Strive to be great every day, and you can live with whatever else happens.“
Eastern Notes: Smith, Boozer, Knicks, Heat
Indications are that J.R. Smith is still on the outs with the Knicks and his benching will probably continue today against the SIxers, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. The benching appears to have the full support of owner James Dolan and, as Berman notes, most people that cross the Knicks owner can’t get back into his good graces. More from the East..
- In today’s mailbag, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if Carlos Boozer could be a fit for the Heat if the Bulls use the amnesty clause on him. While he’s likely to available come July and has South Florida ties, Winderman doesn’t see it happening. Boozer has always gone for top dollar and that probably wouldn’t change this summer.
- With Luol Deng in the mix, the Cavs suddenly seem to have a balanced roster and much better ball movement on offense, writes Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. Cleveland is now 2-0 in the Deng era.
- James Nunnally, whose ten-day deal with the Hawks should be finalized today, made the D-League Showcase first-team, tweets Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Stein On Raptors, Lowry, Chandler, Afflalo
For the first time, there’s real talk from Toronto that the Raptors might keep point guard Kyle Lowry for the rest of the season, writes Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Word is that GM Masai Ujiri won’t commit to any firm position and is open to moving Lowry if the offers suddenly get sweeter. However, team officials appear to prefer the idea of going for what would be just Toronto’s third playoff berth in 13 seasons rather than attempt a colossal tank and go from .500 to Andrew Wiggins territory. Here’s more from Stein’s latest offering..
- The Knicks were linked heavily to Lowry just a few weeks ago but they’re now said to want to work their way into the bidding for Nuggets guard Andre Miller. Unfortunately for them, they have the same problem in chasing Miller that they did with Lowry: a lack of assets to offer.
- The Knicks are still getting calls for center Tyson Chandler but sources close to the situation tell Stein that they’re brushing each one of them off. At this stage, New York has no interest in parting with its defensive anchor, which makes sense if the Knicks are set on re-signing Carmelo Anthony this summer.
- The Magic, meanwhile, continue to stiff-arm teams registering interest in shooting guard Arron Afflalo. The difference there, though, is that some rival clubs aren’t convinced that the Magic’s stance is as absolute as the Knicks’ stance is with Chandler. The lure of the 2014 draft is strong, but it’s not out of the question that someone could offer up a first-round pick for Afflalo. In that event, Orlando would have to give serious thought to pulling the trigger.
Kennedy On Gordon, Rockets, Cavs, Hawes
The Bobcats are shopping Ben Gordon, league sources tell Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Sulia). Charlotte has talked to many teams about the guard and is trying to move Gordon’s $13.2MM expiring deal for a player who can help the team win now. The Bobcats, sitting at No. 7 in the East, are expected to be buyers at the deadline, because they want to make the playoffs for just the second time in franchise history. More from Kennedy..
- In addition to the Bobcats, the Rockets and Suns have also been identified as buyers as the deadline approaches. Phoenix may be open to trading a draft pick or a young asset if it means making the team better today and ensuring a playoff berth.
- The Cavaliers have been termed as the most active team in the league in terms of trade talks, but they’re quieting down after landing Luol Deng and unloading Andrew Bynum. It’s still possible that they make another move before February 20th, but they want to see how their team looks with Deng before working the phones again.
- The Pistons aren’t sure whether they should be buyers or sellers at the deadline, according to league sources. They had playoff expectations entering the season after adding Josh Smith, Brandon Jennings and Chauncey Billups among others, but they have struggled early on. Within the organization, it sounds like there are some people who want to be buyers in order to ensure a playoff berth, but there are also some who don’t believe the pieces fit together very well and think Detroit should sell.
- In addition to Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young, Spencer Hawes and other 76ers players are available.
Hawks Waive Cartier Martin
The Hawks waived Cartier Martin in advance of today’s 4pm CT deadline, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Had Atlanta not beat the deadline, Martin’s minimum salary contract would have been guaranteed for the rest of the season.
The 29-year-old spent parts of four seasons with the Wizards prior to hooking on with the Hawks, appearing in 118 total games for Washington. Martin averaged 6.6 points per contest and 2.0 rebounds in 17.5 minutes per game for the Hawks this season. He’ll be job hunting but it seems likely that he’ll find something soon, perhaps on a ten-day deal to start.