Eastern Rumors: Knicks, Gortat, Pacers, Rondo
Carmelo Anthony‘s camp leaked the information about Joakim Noah‘s All-Star break recruiting pitch, and the Knicks have been open about their pursuit of Phil Jackson, observes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Deveney concludes the whispers from both sides are intended as posturing for ‘Melo’s free agency decision this summer. While we wait to see how the latest ‘Melo-drama will play out, here’s the latest from the rest of the Eastern Conference:
- Marcin Gortat says the strength of a team’s point guard and its coaching staff will be two qualities he’ll consider when he assesses suitors in free agency this summer, as he tells Kyle Weidie of ESPN.com. Gortat is high on re-signing with the Wizards, though his comments suggest he isn’t interested in signing an extension, reportedly one of Washington’s goals.
- The Pacers were concerned that Danny Granger had slacked off on the daily rehab regimen that was to help him regain his form after he missed almost all of last season with injuries, according to Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. That helped precipitate the deadline deal that brought Evan Turner and Lavoy Allen to Indiana, but Kyler wonders if the departure of the longtime Pacer did irreparable damage to the team’s chemistry.
- Danny Ainge embraces Rajon Rondo, stubbornness and all, as the Celtics president of basketball operations tells Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe for a piece that examines Rondo’s nuanced personality.
Josh Smith Envisions Pairing With Rajon Rondo
Pistons forward Josh Smith acknowledges the idea that he’ll join prep school teammate Rajon Rondo on the same NBA team anytime soon is far-fetched, but he’s optimistic that it will happen sometime, as he tells Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe. The two have spoken about the possibility multiple times, Smith says.
“He’s my best friend, especially in the NBA,” Smith said. “We definitely connect. We take family vacations together.”
Smith added that Kevin Garnett joined them for those trips. There was trade talk surrounding Rondo and Smith prior to the deadline, but neither ever appeared close to changing teams. Smith says he’s content playing with the Pistons, who last month reportedly shopped him. A pair of reports this summer from fellow Globe scribe Gary Washburn indicated that Detroit was interested in acquiring Rondo via trade. Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge insisted he wasn’t looking to deal the four-time All-Star, and set a steep price tag on him as the deadline approached.
Smith is under contract through 2016/17, while Rondo is set to become a free agent after next season. The Pistons, at this point, have enough cap flexibility for the summer of 2015 to sign Rondo for up to the max if both sides would be willing, but the BDA Sports Management client will surely have plenty of other suitors.
Rondo didn’t speak to Holmes about his relationship with Smith, who was the point guard’s roommate at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Oak Hill coach Steve Smith invoked Rondo’s connection to the school earlier this season when he claimed that Carmelo Anthony, another Oak Hill alum, was attempting to recruit Rondo to the Knicks, but Anthony and Rondo denied those talks.
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.
Celtics Likely To Sign Babb To Second 10-Day
Today is the final day for Chris Babb’s 10-day contract and the team is expected to extend Babb with another 10-day deal, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Babb has appeared in three games for the Celtics and has averaged 3.7 PPG, and 2.0 RPG while playing 13.3 MPG.
Coach Brad Stevens said he hopes the club continues the relationship with another contract. Stevens also said, “He’s a perfect fit for what we need as far as, he’s not going to play 38 minutes a game — he’s going to come in, get open shots, hopefully knock those open shots down, play off of other people, and then be a feisty defender for us. He really is an outstanding defender for a young guy.”
Babb went undrafted in 2013, but played in the summer league for the Suns. He then signed with the Celtics on September 30th, 2013, but was subsequently waived by the team on October 26th. He joined the Red Claws on October 31st. Babb played in 32 games for the Red claws this season, and averaged 11.9 PPG, 6.1 RPG, 3.3 APG, and 1.2 SPG, while logging 37.5 MPG. He signed his initial 10-day contract with the Celtics on February 28th.
Eastern Notes: Babb, Onuaku, LeBron
Chris Babb‘s 10-day contract ends on Monday, but the Celtics are high on him, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. Coach Brad Stevens said, “He’s a perfect fit for what we need as far as, he’s not going to play 38 minutes a game — he’s going to come in, get open shots, hopefully knock those open shots down, play off of other people, and then be a feisty defender for us. He really is an outstanding defender for a young guy.” There has been no official word on if the Celtics plan to re-sign Babb.
More from around the east:
- The Cavs have assigned Arinze Onuaku to the Canton Charge of the NBA D-League, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer. Onuaku hasn’t scored in 2 appearances for the Cavs and was re-signed for a second 10-day contract on Wednesday.
- The Cavs were planning on using the ceremony to retire Zydrunas Ilgauskas‘ jersey as one means to recruit LeBron James back to Cleveland, writes Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. But what little chance the team had to that possibility might have ended with the firing of former GM Chris Grant. Grant was one of the team executives who had the best relationship with James, according to Windhorst.
- Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News also weighs in on how unlikely the chances are that James returns to Cleveland this summer. The team’s lack of a proven winner in the front office is the main deterrent to attracting James, writes Lawrence.
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post takes a look at how the Wizards trade for Andre Miller is working out for him and for the team. So far, the pairing is paying dividends for both, opines Lee. The Wizards offer Miller a clean slate and a playoff opportunity, and Miller gives the team a proven veteran.
Paul Pierce Open To Return To Celtics
Nets star Paul Pierce says he’s open to returning to the Celtics as either a player or team employee, he told reporters including Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe. Responding to a question on the possibility of a return to Boston, he answered, “Yeah, why not? Maybe play for them, maybe work for them.” As final as the departure from Boston of Pierce and fellow star Kevin Garnett felt last summer, the small forward says he remains close with point guard Rajon Rondo and still has affection for the franchise he build his Hall of Fame career with.
The 36-year-old becomes a free agent this summer, and sees hope in Boston despite the losses that have piled up in their first year of rebuilding.
“They’re a young team. They’ve got a mix of some veterans, some young guys who are developing. They’re only going to get better,” Pierce said. “Rondo is ready to lead, he’s leading them right now, moving into the next generation of Celtics. I think their future is going to be very bright.”
A good chunk of Pierce’s 15 years with Boston was spent enduring similar rebuilding efforts before finally enjoying a championship, so he is optimistic about the Celtics current trajectory.
“When you’re in the middle of your prime, like Rondo is, and you’re frustrated with the losing, it’s about just staying patient, staying with the guys, helping them develop, helping them get better,” said Pierce.
Pierce averaged 21.8 PPG with the Celtics, and only experience three winning seasons during his first nine years in the league. After turning their assets and appeal into the Big-Three of Pierce, Garnett, and Ray Allen, the Celtics immediately won a title, reached the Finals again, and won nearly two-thirds of their games over his last six seasons in green.
Pierce is averaging career lows in points, assists, rebounds, and minutes per game this season. Although he has played better of late, it would seem out of character for Celtics GM Danny Ainge to consider adding an expensive contract for a veteran in the twilight of his career. Pierce makes $15.3MM this year, and would likely fetch a salary well north of the veteran’s minimum should he extend his career beyond this season. Ainge has vowed to stay patient and avoid shortcuts in the rebuilding process, which in most cases means prioritizing youth on a roster and reserving cap space for elite players that can help build a long-term contender.
Vitor Faverani Out For Season
Vitor Faverani will miss the rest of the season after undergoing surgery on a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, the Celtics announced via press release. The rookie center has been out since January 28th. The Celtics have also been hit with a season-ending injury to Gerald Wallace, and the team sent Keith Bogans home earlier this year after a dispute over playing time. Avery Bradley is also out indefinitely, leaving Boston with 11 available players, including Chris Babb, who’s on a 10-day contract.
The continued absence of Faverani is probably a favorable sign for Babb, though the team could just cycle through others on 10-day contracts. The Celtics are seven games out of the playoffs and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference, so Faverani’s injury will have little bearing on the postseason race.
Faverani, 25, had been playing in Spain when he signed with Boston this summer. His contract is guaranteed for a little more than $2MM next year, and it includes a non-guaranteed season in 2015/16.
Atlantic Rumors: Carmelo, Crawford, Gay
Joakim Noah attempted to sell Carmelo Anthony on the idea of joining the Bulls this summer when the two spoke at the All-Star break, according to ESPN’s Chris Broussard. The Knicks star was non-committal, though he expressed admiration for the way Chicago plays, Broussard notes, adding that the conversation began with Anthony asking Noah what it’s like to play for Tom Thibodeau (All four Twitter links). Broussard also hears that Derrick Rose, who’s notorious for refusing to recruit other players to the Bulls, would love Anthony to join Chicago and would reach out to him if the team asked him to (Twitter link). I touched on the possibility of the No. 2 player on the Hoops Rumors 2014 Free Agent Power Rankings joining the Bulls when I examined Anthony’s free agent stock Wednesday. Here’s more on Anthony’s current team as we check the latest from the Atlantic Division:
- The Knicks have been linked to 2015 free agent Kevin Love on numerous occasions, but if Anthony re-signs, Love’s poor defense and an offensive game that’s too similar to Anthony’s would make him a poor fit, opines Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal.
- Soon-to-be free agent Jordan Crawford has fond memories of his time with the Celtics, who traded him to the Warriors in January, and he greeted Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge warmly before Golden State’s game in Boston on Wednesday. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald has the details.
- Rudy Gay will hear plenty of boos when he returns to Toronto with the Kings on Friday, but Raptors ownership deserves blame for setting up the compromising situation that led to Gay’s acquisition last year, argues Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
Eastern Notes: Dumars, Turner, Rondo
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com looks at a recent report from Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report about the future of Joe Dumars in Detroit. Dumars is weary of the criticism he has received in trying to rebuild the Pistons after constructing a franchise that went to the Eastern Conference Finals six years in a row. The criticism fails to account for the dismal Detroit economy and restraints placed on Dumars while the team was up for sale and changing ownership, as Bucher notes, and Moore points to the success the team had early in Dumars’ tenure. Still, Moore advocates for a change. The Pistons are currently 24-36, three games out of the 8th spot in the East.
More from around the league:
- During a rough season, Bucks GM John Hammond is being praised for drafting a “gem” in Giannis Antetokounmpo, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com. The “Greek Freak” is averaging 7.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 1.9 APG over 24.5 MPG.
- Evan Turner is still getting acclimated with the Pacers, but both he and the team think it’s been a good fit so far, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Turner has played in five games with the team, and has averaged 9.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 1.6 APG in 22.2 MPG. How Turner adjusts to the Pacers will impact if he is in their plans going forward when he becomes a free-agent after the season, writes Kennedy.
- Danny Ainge said that the Celtics had asked Rajon Rondo to travel with the team last week, but instead Rondo chose to stay in Los Angeles to celebrate his 28th birthday, writes Royce Young of CBSSports.com. Ainge said, “In the end, him and I had a long talk about it. He planned it before and he had reason to believe it would be OK. I understand his reason because of what he’s grown up with and what he’s witnessed. You won’t see it happen again, and we’ve just moved on from it.” This isn’t expected to change the team’s immediate plans regarding keeping Rondo, according to Young.
Isola’s Latest: Carmelo, Dolan, Love
Should the Knicks decide that it’s in their best interest to keep Carmelo Anthony and try to surround him with the requisite pieces needed for title contention, it’s almost a given that one plan would involve adding a big-name free agent during the summer of 2015 – when names such as Kevin Love and Rajon Rondo could hit the open market and New York would have plenty of cap room to work with. Such a plan might not be that appealing to Anthony, as rumblings indicate that the Syracuse star’s camp is only interested in what gets done this summer and not in 2015, according to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News.
Here’s a roundup of more significant points from Isola’s piece:
- By July 2015, Anthony will be 31 years old; the thought of added mileage from another NBA season without the proper reinforcements could possibly be enough to dissuade the Knicks star from committing to New York long-term,
- James Dolan would be wise to bid farewell to Carmelo this summer rather than give him five years and $127MM to stay, especially when the alternative involves clearing valuable cap space and still having a first round pick in what would most likely be a rebuilding year in 2014/15.
- As for Love, Isola hears word that the 6’10” big man’s current train of thinking involves either re-signing with the Timberwolves or heading to the Lakers once he hits free agency.
- While Rondo’s success includes a championship in Boston, Isola adds that the 28-year-old point guard’s personality, his clashes with Celtics coaches in the past, and that he played a role in Ray Allen‘s decision to leave for Miami make him a less-than-ideal fit next to Carmelo.