Odds & Ends: Monroe, Humphries, Williams
Five teams, most of them in the Eastern Conference, are planning to pursue Greg Monroe when he becomes a restricted free agent this summer, a source tells Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling. The source predicts Monroe will sign early in July, which often isn’t the case with restricted free agents. There’s more from Zwerling amid our latest look around the league:
- The Celtics have interest in signing-and-trading Kris Humphries this summer, Zwerling writes in the same piece. Danny Ainge is reportedly high on the 10th-year veteran who’s expressed a desire to stay in Boston, so it seems there’s no guarantee Humphries will go elsewhere this summer, even as the C’s appear to be preparing for that possibility.
- Marvin Williams is comfortable in Utah and wants to remain with the Jazz, observes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who figures that was one of the reasons the team reportedly turned down at least one offer for a late first-round pick in exchange for Williams.
- Pelicans GM Dell Demps expressed confidence in his core earlier this week, but Bradford Doolittle of ESPN.com, in an Insider-only piece, urges Demps to shake up the team in the offseason.
- Justin Barrasso of WEEI.com examines the transition Brad Stevens is making from college to the NBA game, noting that most college coaches who’ve entered the pros have done so with franchises far less stable than the Celtics are.
Forsberg’s Latest: Fredette, Asik, Green
Some Celtics fans may have been upset with their team’s the lack of activity around the trade deadline, but Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston opines that acquiring Jimmer Fredette (if he reaches a buyout agreement in Sacramento) would be the perfect mea culpa, especially with the city’s ‘love’ of reclamation projects. All in all, Forsberg suggests that Fredette would be better suited to join a contender at this point, where he’d have an opportunity to jump-start his career in an offense-focused role and the expectations would be minimal.
Here’s more out of his latest Celtics mailbag:
- Forsberg wonders if the team would revisit efforts to acquire Omer Asik from the Rockets this summer, when they’ll have a $10.3MM trade exception as well as plenty of draft picks to offer.
- As with many players on the roster, Jeff Green‘s future in Boston could be tied in part to the draft and whether the Celtics end up drafting a player at his position.
- There’s always the chance that Kelly Olynyk becomes trade fodder, but Forsberg believes the more cap-effective route would be to nurture the young center and hope his game continues to evolve.
- When asked who he thinks will definitely return next year, Forsberg says that with so much hinging on the Celtics’ draft position and who they add on draft night, it’s difficult to say with any certainty. The exceptions are head coach Brad Stevens and – unless they can find a taker by giving up some assets – Gerald Wallace.
- Colton Iverson’s NBA future depends on how crowded Boston’s roster is and his development. The team currently owns his rights and has kept tabs on him overseas, and Forsberg notes that the 7’0 center can rejoin the team for summer league with a chance to compete for an official roster spot.
- As for the lack of trades around the deadline, Forsberg says the team put a high price on their talent, and as evidenced with the lack of activity around the league, few teams were willing to give up draft picks to acquire players.
Odds & Ends: Iverson, World Peace, McNeal
Celtics second round pick Colton Iverson is working hard in Turkey in an effort to get himself in position to jump to the NBA, writes Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders. “It’s great to know that they’re still supporting me, watching me evaluating me, helping me think about ways that I can better,” Iverson said. “I know they’re really invested in me right now; I am going to try and put in the hard work and do everything I can to be ready, when they are ready for me be to be ready for them. I am going to keep working every day. Knowing that they have my back and are supporting me right now is a great motivation and I’ll keep working harder than ever before.” More from around the NBA..
- It sounds very unlikely that the Nets will make a run at keeping Metta World Peace in New York City, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) says Brooklyn has zero interest. MWP probably doesn’t mind since he reportedly has his eye on the Thunder, Heat, and Spurs.
- Jerel McNeal is back with the Bakersfield Jam of the D-League, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. McNeal played in China earlier this season for Zhejiang Chouzhou and averaged 21.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in 15 games. Last season for Bakersfield, the Marquette averaged 18.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 44 games. He also earned a call-up with the Jazz at the end of March.
- Expect the Clippers to make a move on another player or two during buyout season, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Doc Rivers has said that he will continue to monitor the market, even after picking up Glen Davis.
- Lakers newcomer Kent Bazemore used to get attention for his enthusiasm on the bench, but now he’s getting attention through his strong play, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. The guard has averaged 16 points and 31 minutes in two games with L.A.
Gerald Wallace Not Seeking Buyout
The Celtics’ blockbuster deal with the Nets over the summer allowed them to press the reset button on their aging roster but it came with a difficult contract in Gerald Wallace. The veteran’s deal calls for him to earn $20.2MM total in 2014/15 and 2015/16, so a buyout wouldn’t be easy, but Wallace says he wouldn’t want one even if it were presented to him.
“My mom said never complain about the situation you’re in,” Crash told A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. “You can’t control it. It’s nothing I can do about it. I just have to take it in stride and move forward. My focus is on helping these guys become better players, help them build, help them understand what it takes to have a successful career in the NBA.”
Wallace, who has been known throughout his career for his aggressiveness and hustle, is still giving 100% on the floor for the C’s, despite back spasms that have slowed him down considerably. Glen Davis was able to reach a buyout agreement with the Magic and Ben Gordon is close to breaking free with the Bobcats, but Wallace has every intention of sticking it out in Boston.
“That ain’t my thing,” Wallace said when asked about buyouts. “My thing is wherever I’m at, I’m gonna play and make the best of the situation and hopefully something changes or something. If not, I’m satisfied with the situation that I’m in.“
Eastern Notes: Heat, Iverson, Miller
The Heat essentially stood pat at the trade deadline. Outside of shipping Roger Mason Jr. to the Kings for a highly protected second-round pick, they didn’t do much to add to their rotation. The next few weeks could be as intriguing as some of the past offseasons have been for the Heat when it comes to personnel and rounding out the bench, as the team sorely needs to add some depth, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. Winderman believes the team needs to add another wing player amid the current shaky shooting from both Shane Battier and Ray Allen.
More from around the east:
- The Celtics continue to keep close tabs on Colton Iverson, the team’s second round pick in 2013, writes Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe. The 7-footer is playing with Besiktas of the Turkish League, and in 18 games, he’s averaging 6.5 PPG, 5.6 RPG and 3.1 APG over 17.3 MPG. Iverson is playing overseas because the Celtics didn’t have enough room on their roster to keep him after the draft, but the team likes his aggressive play, and he still factors into their future plans, opines Holmes.
- Carmelo Anthony was surprised at the news the Knicks would be buying out the contracts of Beno Udrih and Metta World Peace, writes Matt Winkeljohn of ESPNNewYork.com. Anthony stated, “It’s sad to see them go, but this is the business of basketball … it happened, and we’ve got to move on. The buyouts kind of surprised me because [Friday] Metta seemed like he was in a good place. He was happy, he played . . . he was a different Metta.”
- Andre Miller scored five points, and dished out three assists in his first game with the Wizards. They’re not huge numbers, but he is already making a big impact with his new team, writes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com. The team’s rotation has changed, and the offense ran smoother than it had been when John Wall was off the court, but Miller’s biggest contribution may be him mentoring Wall, opines Michael. Wall stated, “That’s a guy you can learn from. It’s a guy that loves the game and is still playing at 37. I hope I can be playing at 37.“
Odds & Ends: Miller, Sessions, Deng, Brown
Andre Miller was excited when he got word he had been traded, reveals Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “I was ready to go,” said Miller. “I’m glad it’s over. I’ve been sitting around for about a month and a half. I’m happy to be here.” He’ll have the opportunity to help the Wizards make some noise in the East after sitting on the bench since late December. Let’s round up some news from around the NBA:
- According to HoopsHype, 20 of the 50 most discussed trade candidates wound up being dealt by Thursday’s deadline.
- Ramon Sessions is content being back with the Bucks, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinal. The Bucks selected Sessions 56th overall in the 2007 draft.
- The deadline deal between the Bobcats and Bucks is now official per a tweet from Charlotte’s PR account, so Gary Neal and Luke Ridnour can now play playoff-hopefuls in Charlotte.
- Luol Deng will be a free agent at season’s end, and if he chooses to walk away from the Cavaliers, he’s likely to be pursued by the Mavs, Lakers, Celtics, Magic and Bobcats, hears Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News.
- The Bulls and Spurs are among the teams interested in signing the recently waived Antawn Jamison, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter).
- Shannon Brown is coming off his second 10-day with the Spurs, and although his play for San Antonio was less than stellar, he’s drawing interest from the Rockets, Heat, Bulls, and Knicks, tweets Sam Amick of USA Today.
- It wouldn’t be surprising to see the Heat sign two free agents in the coming week, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel, who notes Miami has an open spot from the Roger Mason deal, and also could waive Toney Douglas if they’re interested in more than one guy (Twitter link).
- An official press release from the Cavaliers revealed the team has assigned Arinze Onuaku to their D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge. Onuaku had been playing for the Charge before signing a 10-day deal with Cleveland but didn’t have his rights owned by the Cavs.
- Gino Pilato of DLeagueDigest.com explores what went wrong during Pierre Jackson‘s tenure in the D-League.
- David Stern laid the foundation for continuing growth in the NBA, and Carol Cain of the Detroit Free Press looks back on what he was able to accomplish during his tenure as commissioner.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Davis, Collins, ‘Melo
Gerald Wallace has never been shy about voicing his opinions. He recently suggested to reporters, including Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald, that the trade deadline does not serve the same purpose that it used to:
“Now I don’t think it’s about teams trying to get better, or teams making trades to try and improve. Now it’s about teams trying to get rid of guys to get under the salary cap, or get under the luxury tax. It’s a different situation as trades go nowadays. Teams are all looking to save as much money as possible now.”
Let’s look at the latest from the Atlantic:
- The Raptors wouldn’t be afraid to add a player who was waived in a buyout deal, but it would have to be the “right guy,” tweets Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. The team currently rosters the league maximum 15 players, so they would need to release someone in order for anything to happen.
- Glen Davis thought he was heading to the Clippers, but Kevin Garnett‘s effort to recruit the former LSU star to the Nets has him reconsidering his options, according to Kyler (Twitter links).
- The Nets locker room would welcome the openly gay Jason Collins, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. However, Bondy notes that the team would prefer to land Davis.
- Carmelo Anthony wasn’t thrilled the Knicks stood pat at the deadline, but he realizes front office decisions are out of his hands, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com examines what a buyout deal would mean for Metta World Peace, Beno Udrih, and the Knicks. Earlier today, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News said each of the two players was close to reaching an agreement to part ways with New York.
Western Notes: Brooks, Brewer, Rockets
MarShon Brooks isn’t accustomed to a significant role, but he’s ready to play as a member of the Lakers. His impressive performance against the C’s last night left some wondering if he considered the matchup a “revenge game,” but Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com passes along that Brooks doesn’t harbor any resentment toward his old team. “You know what, a lot of people think I should be mad at the Boston Celtics,” Brooks said. “But I guarantee you that there’s no one happier for me than Brad Stevens and [Celtics assistant] Jay Larranaga.” Here’s more from the West..
- After being waived by the Rockets, Ronnie Brewer tells Mark Berman of My FOX Houston he will look to land with another team. “The NBA is a business,” the 28-year old said. “You got to accept the decision. You have to go back to the drawing board and continue to work and hopefully a team can pick you up for the remainder of the season.”
- It appears that the Rockets are unlikely to pursue anyone in the buyout market, according to Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle (Twitter link). Feigen says the indications are that Houston is done making moves for the year.
- The Thunder assigned rookie Andre Roberson to the D-League again on Friday, as Oklahoma City’s D-League affiliate announced (Twitter link).
- J.J. Barea admits to anxiety in the days leading up to the trade deadline, but he’s ready to move on and continue his recent strong play for the Timberwolves, reports Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
- Shannon Brown would like to re-sign with the Spurs, but there’s interest from other teams if that doesn’t happen, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). San Antonio would have to sign him for the rest of the season, since he’s already been on a pair of 10-day deals with the team.
- Chad Forcier is a player development coach for the Spurs, and his presence in San Antonio might influence whether the team pursues the likely-to-be waived Metta World Peace. Mike Monroe of Spurs Nation has the details.
- Sam Amick of USA Today weighs in on the trade that sent Steve Blake to the Warriors and thinks it could end up paying dividends for Golden State.
- Jan Vesely and Aaron Brooks are excited for new roles on the Nuggets, writes Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.
Celtics Notes: Rondo, Free Agents
The Celtics and Lakers played last night, but there wasn’t nearly as much at stake as there usually is when the storied franchises meet. Both teams are struggling this season, although it has been more so by design in Boston. Here’s more from the team that usually resides a lot higher in the standings:
- Rajon Rondo wasn’t upset by the trade rumors that spiked around the trade deadline, but he apparently didn’t rule out the possibility that he could be dealt, telling Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe in a subscription-only article, “I didn’t know what was going to happen.” It never appeared that the Celtics were open to moving him for anything in the ballpark of what teams were offering.
- Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald thinks that Rondo’s detached leadership could hurt the Celtics, specifically players who are anxious when they hear their names swirling in trade rumors. Rondo says he doesn’t worry about reassuring players of their value to the team. “I don’t talk much about it,” he said. “We didn’t speak much about it as a team. [Coach Brad Stevens] announced it a couple of times in the meetings, but I didn’t say much about it.” Bulpett thinks Rondo should think more highly of his own voice within the organization, but the point guard doesn’t seem to think his input would change much. “You can’t worry about stuff you can’t control, you know? Everybody’s situation is different. I can’t worry about [Jeff Green] being traded, because it’s out of my control. He can’t worry about if I get traded. That’s just part of the game. It’s not the first trades that a lot of these guys have been through. We’ve all been through them, and when that time comes, it comes.”
- In his “GM for a Day” series, Bradford Doolittle of ESPN Insider [subscription only] takes a look at the Celtics. Doolittle thinks that GM Danny Ainge is in no danger of growing impatient and trying to jump-start the rebuilding process at the expense of the team’s long-term plan. He also covers decisions that lie ahead for Boston, including whether they will still eventually trade Brandon Bass, if they will waive Gerald Wallace and absorb the remainder of his dubious contract, and the outlook for soon-to-be free agents Jerryd Bayless, Kris Humphries, and Avery Bradley.
Atlantic Notes: Stevens, Rondo, Udrih
Celtics GM Danny Ainge thought the Suns were going to hire Brad Stevens over the summer before he got the chance, writes the Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett. “When Ryan McDonough went to Phoenix, you know, Ryan and I had talked a lot about how much we liked Brad Stevens,” said Ainge. “I thought Ryan was going to hire Brad to go coach the Suns, but he didn’t and he got a great coach in Jeff Hornacek.”
- The Celtics have “just valued Rajon Rondo” more than any other club over the last eight years, Ainge told reporters, including Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe (on Twitter). Of course, the C’s got a ton of calls on their star guard but wound up holding on to him through the deadline.
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (on Twitter) wouldn’t be surprised to see the Knicks negotiate a buyout with seldom-used guard Beno Udrih in the coming days.
- The Knicks wound up standing pat at the deadline and Begley has the goods on what happened or, rather, what didn’t happen.