Knicks Links: Carmelo, Nets, Stoudemire
One reunion between a star player and his former home court received plenty of fanfare yesterday, as Dwight Howard put up a monster 39-point, 16-rebound line in his return to Orlando. Tonight will feature another star playing his former team, as Carmelo Anthony and the Knicks face the Nuggets in Denver. Because of the 2011 lockout, the Knicks didn't travel to Denver in a shortened '11/12 season, making this time the first time Carmelo has played in Denver since being traded in February 2011.
Here are a few Wednesday morning Knicks notes, with a focus on that Carmelo trade:
- Discussing his desire to be traded to New York, Anthony tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that a number of Nuggets players at the time were on expiring contracts, and he was facing the possibility of being on a rebuilding team. "People didn't really know the business side of the situation we were in," Anthony said. "Everybody's contract was up. They had plans of going younger. People from the outside looking in didn't really get it."
- When the Nuggets and Knicks finalized the blockbuster deal, it was one of two options on the table for Denver GM Masai Ujiri. According to Spears, an offer from the Nets was also available, which included Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, Troy Murphy, and three draft picks. The Nets ultimately sent a similar package to the Jazz for Deron Williams.
- Sunny Saini of ESPN Stats & Info and Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com each explore the question of who "won" the 'Melo trade between the Nuggets and Knicks. Begley reaches the same conclusion I would, arguing that both sides would likely do the deal again.
- Ian O'Connor of ESPNNewYork.com believes that, as bad as Amare Stoudemire's contract looks for the Knicks, it was a necessary evil, since it contributed significantly to the team becoming relevant again.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Knicks, Wallace, Collins
Tonight in Philadelphia, the Nets are looking to close in on the Atlantic-leading Knicks. Brooklyn is currently riding a three-game winning streak including Friday night's victory over the Wizards headlined by Deron Williams' 42 points and eleven three pointers. Meanwhile, New York expects to have Carmelo Anthony back in action tonight as they take on the Warriors. Here's tonight's news out of the Atlantic..
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said after the trip he and GM Glen Grunwald will talk about making a roster move, but it doesn't sound like they'll be releasing Rasheed Wallace, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. The veteran was with the team today and Woodson says that he has a chance to bounce back strong.
- The Nets will be one of six teams paying luxury taxes after this season and interim coach P.J. Carlesimo is appreciative of that, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “It’s one of the best things an owner can do. Giving a coach a longterm contract is more important,” quipped Carlesimo. “But other than that I think when you have an owner that’s willing to spend money and not pay lip-service. All the owners say they want to win a championship, When you have someone that is committed to winning it and is willing to expend funds to do it, give us the resources, that’s fantastic.”
- Nets veteran Jerry Stackhouse, who has played for 76ers coach Doug Collins in two cities, praised his passion for the game and said that he can even be "borderline manic" at times, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Newspapers. There has been speculation that Collins' job is in jeopardy going forward in part because of how his style clashes with the club.
- Reflecting on his time in Philly alongside Allen Iverson, Stackhouse said, "Somebody didn't do their homework – we're both shooting guards," tweets Moore.
Atlantic Notes: Martin, Nets, Raptors, Alabi
One day after the Atlantic's five teams went 4-1 – only the slumping Sixers failed to pick up a victory – the Knicks will look to continue the division's winning ways against the Thunder at Madison Square Garden tonight. As we look forward to that game, let's check out a few notes from around the division….
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com isn't sure why Kenyon Martin has only played five minutes in his first six games with the Knicks. Martin is on his second 10-day contract, so if he's going to remain with the team beyond his current deal, he should be included in an expanded version of the rotation, says Begley.
- Nets CEO Brett Yormark declined comment when asked about P.J. Carlesimo's performance as head coach, which Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News finds interesting.
- According to Bruce Arthur of the National Post, the Raptors' roster is "full of overstuffed contracts and puzzle pieces that won’t fit," which is reminiscent of past Raptors teams.
- With their playoff hopes on life support, the Raptors need to look the future and start playing guys like Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas more, says Eric Koreen of the National Post.
- Former Raptor Solomon Alabi has signed with Ikaros Kallitheas of Greece, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter). The 7'1" center played 26 games in two seasons with the Raptors, and was in camp with the Hornets last fall.
Western Notes: Fisher, Mavs, Kings, Adetokunbo
Let's check in on a handful of Tuesday updates out of the Western Conference….
- Responding to comments made by Mark Cuban last week, Derek Fisher defended his decision to sign with the Thunder after asking the Mavericks to release him earlier this season, as Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times details. "Over the last couple of months, being out of the game and having a chance to reflect on some things and think about some things," Fisher said. "When this opportunity presented itself and I thought about the totality of my career, I decided that this was something I deserved to do for myself."
- With the Mavericks falling out of the playoff race and nine free-agents-to-be on the roster, coach Rick Carlisle remains upbeat about the atmosphere in Dallas, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. "This is a great situation in Dallas," Carlislie said. "The guys in the locker room that are all free agents, every second they step on the court, they’re auditioning for Donnie [Nelson] and Mark as to whether they’re going to have a chance to be here after this year."
- Now that they've formally submitted their bid for the Kings, the pressure is on Ron Burkle, Mark Mastrov, and their Sacramento investment group to work out an arena plan, according to Tony Bizjak, Ryan Lillis, and Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
- Thunder GM Sam Presti is among the NBA evaluators in Athens to scout prospect Giannis Adetokunbo, according to Nikos Varlas of Eurohoops. Scouts from the Nets, Trail Blazers, and Clippers are also in attendance to watch Adetokunbo, who ranks 32nd among DraftExpress.com's top 100 prospects.
Nets Recall Tornike Shengelia From D-League
Here are today's D-League assignments and recalls, with any additional moves added to the top of the page throughout the day:
- The Nets have recalled Tornike Shengelia from the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. Shengelia's recent three-game stint with the Springfield Armor wasn't as impressive as his first run with the team in December, in which he recorded a triple-double, as well as a 39-point, 18-rebound game. Nonetheless, the rookie posted averages of 25.3 PPG and 6.0 RPG in his most recent three games with the Armor.
Texas Rumors: Parker, Mavs, D-Will, Popovich
The Spurs announced today that Tony Parker will miss approximately four weeks with a grade-two left ankle sprain, injecting some drama into the race for the top playoff seed in the Western Conference. San Antonio has taken the No. 1 spot the past two seasons and has a three-game lead on the Thunder this time around, but without their All-Star point guard, the Spurs could be in danger of falling behind even the third-place Clippers, who are just three and a half games back. We haven't heard any serious rumors that the Spurs are looking for a replacement, and with a full 15-man roster, they'd have to waive someone to bring another point guard aboard. While we wait to see what happens in the wake of Parker's injury, here's more from the Lone Star State:
- Dirk Nowitzki and Rick Carlisle aren't dwelling on Deron Williams decision to spurn the Mavs and re-sign with the Nets this past summer, as Tim Bontemps of the New York Post chronicles.
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban hasn't shown much regret about missing out on Williams, but he's having a hard time dealing with his team's losing ways this season, notes Benjamin Hoffman of The New York Times. "It’s the most painful thing that I’ve been through," Cuban said. "It’s like having a company that’s going out of business."
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich hopes he lands the Team USA head coaching job, a position he's coveted for years, according to Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Odds & Ends: D-Will, Kenyon, Blake, Thunder
The Magic have given a higher percentage of their minutes to players who weren't on their roster last season than any other team in the league, notes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Orlando has given 66% of its minutes to newcomers, while the Rockets are second, with 64% of their minutes going to players who weren't with them in 2011/12. Both clubs made a blockbuster deal before the season, and both were involved in smaller swaps at the trade deadline, further altering their compositions. Here's more on players coming and going from around the league:
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld revists Deron Williams' choice of the Nets over the Mavericks, opining that Dallas wouldn't have been a playoff team this year even with D-Will. Ingram also caught up with J.J. Redick and Stan Van Gundy.
- Kenyon Martin didn't play in tonight's game and has only seen five minutes of action more than halfway through his 10-day contract, but as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com observes, Knicks coach Mike Woodson indicated the team is likely to keep him around after his current deal expires. "Kenyon's not going nowhere, he's here," Woodson said (Twitter link).
- Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors identified him as an amnesty candidate earlier today, but as Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com chronicles, Blake has recently been playing some of his best ball as a member of the Lakers.
- The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel, with the help ofSalary Cap FAQ contributor Jon Hamm, examines the Thunder's payroll for the next few seasons and looks at how they can minimize their tax hit.
- Fellow Oklahoman scribe Darnell Mayberry praises the subtle moves the Thunder made at the deadline, and expects such tweaking to become the norm with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka occupying so much room on the payroll.
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Nets, Collins, Rasheed
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made his weekly appearance on WEEI radio in Boston to talk about what transpired during the trade deadline as well as his thoughts on the team moving forward. Greg Payne of ESPN Boston has the highlights, including Ainge's thoughts on why Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce weren't dealt, the CBA having a significant impact on the trade deadline, the long-standing interest in Jordan Crawford, and whether or not he would have been able to convince Garnett to waive his no-trade clause. Here's more out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Guard/forward Terrence Williams received a vote of confidence from his former coach at Louisville Rick Pitino, who tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that Williams may have possibly found the perfect situation in joining the Celtics.
- Roderick Boone of Newsday notes that Deron Williams and Joe Johnson are still trying to figure out how to mesh with one another in the Nets backcourt. Seth Walder of the New York Daily News believes that Williams' recent emergence with strong performances will be key in carrying the team for the remainder of the season, especially with Johnson recovering from injury.
- With the team's recent struggles, Matt Moore of CBS Sports wonders if Doug Collins' days as the 76ers head coach are numbered. Tom Haberstroh of ESPN (Insiders only) discusses why Philadelphia has been disappointing this season, pointing to the team's shot selection, lack of playing time for Arnett Moultrie, and the offseason departure of two key veterans.
- Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Rasheed Wallace's decision to have surgery on his left foot instead of letting it heal on its own indicates that the 6'11 veteran plans on making a possible return during the postseason for the Knicks.
D-League Moves: Spurs, Nets, Thunder, Cavs
We'll track today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves listed at the top of the page:
- The Spurs have assigned Aron Baynes to the Austin Toros and recalled Cory Joseph, the team announced today in a press release. Joseph has been the Toros' leading scorer this year, averaging 19.4 PPG in 26 games, while Baynes is right behind him with 18.0 PPG in his two D-League games.
- The Nets have re-assigned Tornike Shengelia to the D-League, according to a team press release. It's the third assignment of the year for the rookie, who excelled in his three games with the Springfield Armor, averaging 28.3 PPG and 13.7 RPG.
- Perry Jones, Jeremy Lamb, and DeAndre Liggins have been sent to the Tulsa 66ers by the Thunder, the club announced today in a press release. All three players have spent time in the D-League this season, with Lamb standing out most in his 14 games with the 66ers, averaging 21.1 PPG.
- The Cavaliers have assigned Kevin Jones to their D-League affiliate, the team announced today in a press release. Jones has been with Cleveland for all of February, though he's only appeared in three games for the club this month. For the season, the 23-year-old has seen limited minutes in 18 games for the Cavs, but has been dominant in seven contests with the Canton Charge, averaging 23.0 PPG and 12.6 RPG.
Odds & Ends: Draft, Oden, Greene, Kings
The news of the night so far in the NBA is that Pacers' Roy Hibbert and Warriors' David Lee have each been suspended one game without pay for their roles in last night's skirmish (Twitter links from Yahoo's Marc Spears). In addition, Lance Stephenson, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson were each fined $35,000 for "escalating the altercation." Hibbert already told Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star that he will pay Stephenson's fine for being a good teammate, tweets Wells.
Lee will serve his suspension tonight, as the Warriors visit in the Knicks in one of 10 games on tonight's schedule. Mark Jackson, back in Madison Square Garden as head coach of the Warriors, has already expressed his displeasure with the league's decision, tweets Adam Zagoria of NBA.com. Here are some other odds and ends from around the league:
- Chad Ford of ESPN released his latest draft blog, available to insiders only and complete with an updated top 30. Ben McLemore of Kansas tops his big board but as Ford asserts, this year's top 10 promises to be as ever-changing as any in recent memory.
- Greg Oden will not decide on his next team until July, reports Sam Amico of Fox Sports. This agrees with last week's report from Marc Spears of Yahoo that Oden won't sign until the offseason, though it sounds like this came directly from Oden's agent, Mike Conley. Amico writes that Oden came close to signing with the Cavaliers earlier this month, but an agreement couldn't be reached. Conley believes that once Oden works his way into game shape, he will again have All Star potential.
- Free agent forward Donte Greene, now healthy after fracturing his ankle in August, will work out for teams at Eastern Michigan University on Sunday, tweets Marc Spears of Yahoo. Spears reported last week that the Nets, Pacers, Hornets, Spurs, Bulls, Knicks, Magic, Rockets, and Cavaliers have all checked in on Greene, who played the last four seasons in Sacramento. Citing a league source, Nets Daily has reported the Nets are not currently interested in filling their open roster spot by adding Greene.
- As was rumored yesterday, it appears that Kings minority owner John Kehriotis does in fact intend to submit a "back-up offer" to the Maloofs to buy the Kings, reports Tony Bizjak of the Sacramento Bee. Kehriotis apparently has the capital to match the offer from the Seattle group and believes he has the legal right to counter their attempt to buy the team, according to the report.
- Meanwhile, the Sacramento city council voted on Tuesday night to approve the request made by city officials to begin negotiations over the financing of a new arena, reports Bizjak. These negotiations are a crucial element to Sacramento's bid to keep the Kings.