Eastern Notes: Knicks, Magic, Vucevic, Carlesimo
Lakers coach and former Knicks boss Mike D'Antoni was a little thrown by Amare Stoudemire's recent assertion that he was never taught defense before this year, as Newsday's Al Iannazzone documents. D'Antoni, who coached Stoudemire in New York and Phoenix, said he didn't think Stoudemire meant to be malicious, but still found the comment "mind-boggling" and implied that Stoudemire threw him and his assistant coaches with the Knicks under the bus. Here's more from around the Eastern Conference.
- We heard earlier today that the Magic, unsurprisingly, will not try to sign Dwight Howard in the offseason, and Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports that the team isn't interested in acquiring fellow Dan Fegan client DeMarcus Cousins, either.
- Schmitz also writes that Nikola Vucevic is off the market unless a team "blows away" the Magic with a proposal (and a Cousins offer wouldn't qualify). Still, Schmitz wonders if Orlando could swap him for a marquee talent when he gets closer to the end of his rookie deal in 2015.
- HoopsWorld's Yannis Koutroupis checks in with Nets interim coach and former Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo, who has admiration for the San Antonio model but doesn't think it's one that can be applied in Brooklyn.
- In a video attached to the same piece, Nets swingman MarShon Brooks, who's been seeing more playing time under Carlesimo, predictably gives the coach his stamp of approval, and brushes off trade rumors.
- Former Raptors small forward Gary Forbes had his sights set on an eventual return to the NBA when he signed with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions in China in November, but his next move will be to Puerto Rico, where he'll play for Atleticos de San German, reports Manolo Rodriguez of Tiro Al Blanco (translation via Sportando).
Atlantic Links: Amare, Novak, Williams, Celtics
With tipoff at the Garden for Spurs-Knicks scheduled for 7:30ET, Mike Woodson announced a shake up in the starting lineup, plugging Marcus Camby into the power forward spot previously held by Kurt Thomas (via Ian Begley on Twitter). Here is all the other news coming out of the Atlantic on Thurday:
- In an Insider-only piece, Chris Broussard of ESPN tackles the Amare Stoudemire conundrum in New York by asking five NBA minds – three assistant coaches and two longtime scouts – what the Knicks should do now that their enigmatic power forward is back. The consensus is that Stoudemire should come off the bench initially, but as he gets healthier the opinions vary as to whether his game and mindset are up for becoming a complimentary piece on a title contender.
- For those into NBA metrics, Henry Abbott at ESPN offers an interesting take on how it could be that the Knicks Steve Novak could have the same defensive rating as dominant defensive center Tyson Chandler, and most important, what it means with regard to statistics.
- Kirk Goldsberry of Grantland analyzes what it is to be an "attack guard" in today's NBA, and in turn reveals what has been a key factor in the decline of Nets point guard Deron Williams. Goldsberry writes that Williams has not all of a sudden become a worse shooter, but is instead more often settling for longer shots. Williams has never been a great shooter and with his ability to attack the rim declining, it has put more emphasis on his mediocre stroke.
- Despite their 14-17 start, Danny Ainge remains optimistic that the Celtics will come around as currently constructed, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston. Ainge is looking forward to the return of Avery Bradley and says the new faces have not been the sole reason for their slow start. Jimmy Toscano of CSN New England offers a few additional quotes from Ainge that imply that the right talent and coach are in place – it is merely up to the players now. It is worth mentioning that last year, the Celtics sat at 15-17 after a 5-game losing streak, only to finish the season on a 24-10 tear and capture the Atlantic division title.
Odds & Ends: Veterans, Davis, Lillard, Nets
With only two games on the NBA slate tonight, here are the latest news and notes from around the league on Thursday evening:
- Mark Deeks of the The Basketball Jones compiles an extensive list of former NBA players who may rejoin the league soon. We learned that one player on that list, Mike James, joined the D-League's Texas Legends earlier today. Teams can begin to sign players to 10-day deals on Monday.
- In his NBA PM update, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld says that Anthony Davis and Damian Lillard, the consensus front runners for Rookie of the Year, were nearly teammates in New Orleans. Kennedy writes that the Hornets had targeted Lillard before his meteoric rise up draft boards, but were happy to land Austin Rivers as a consolation prize once they realized Lillard wouldn't fall to them.
- Within the same update, Kennedy echoes what we've heard from many analysts regarding the Nets' coaching job. He asserts that if the team wants to lure a big-name coach to Brooklyn, they will likely have to wait until the offseason to do it. The coaching fraternity is very close-knit, Kennedy says, and when you factor in that a brand new coach would have limited opportunity to shape his staff and team, it's no surprise that guys like Jeff Van Gundy and Phil Jackson have stayed away.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, D-Will, Bynum, Stoudemire
The Atlantic Division was expected to be the strongest in the Eastern Conference, and perhaps even in the NBA, this season. So far though, only the 21-10 Knicks have exceeded expectations. The Nets, Sixers, Celtics, and Raptors are a combined 56-68, putting the division one game below .500 as a whole. Here's the latest out of the underachieving Atlantic:
- As we've heard before, the Nets are targeting Phil Jackson for their head coach opening, and are expected to launch their pursuit of Jackson soon. However, if they can't persuade the Zen Master to come to Brooklyn, the Nets may wait until the offseason to find a permanent solution for the position, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (Twitter links).
- Current Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo doesn't want to see struggling point guard Deron Williams put so much pressure on himself, as he tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News: "I think a lot of it is the reality of what has happened to our franchise this year. It would be hard to overstate how dramatically different the franchise, the team, the expectations, the focus, everything is this year compared to last year. And he’s in the middle of the whole thing. So it’s been a big challenge. I think it’s important for me to not let him think it all revolves around him."
- Asked whether there had been any progress in Andrew Bynum's recovery, Sixers GM Tony DiLeo told reporters, including Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News, that there was no news at the moment. Cooney expects an update from the team next week.
- Lang Greene's NBA AM piece at HoopsWorld is particularly Atlantic-heavy, focusing on Avery Bradley's return to the Celtics, Amare Stoudemire's 2012/13 debut for the Knicks, and Jrue Holiday's All-Star chances.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com also takes a look at Stoudemire's first game back with the Knicks, including Carmelo Anthony's assertion that he and Stoudemire have to focus on "not listening to what everybody has to say" about the duo's ability to play together.
Odds & Ends: Gelabale, Celtics, D-Will, Favors
Amare Stoudemire began his season on the same day we all started a new year, scoring six points off the bench in his 2012/13 debut for the Knicks. Here's more from around the league on the first day of a year the Mayans never counted on.
- While the Wolves recently took a look at Mickael Gelabale and decided to sign Lazar Hayward instead, another, unidentified team has also considered signing the former Sonics small forward, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN.
- There's mistrust between long-tenured Celtics and the team's newer acquisitions, says Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, who echoes Kevin Garnett's uncertainty about whether this year's version of the C's is capable of turning it on for the playoffs.
- Deron Williams admits his shot is still off-kilter from the effects of surgery on his right wrist he underwent in 2011, and he feels as frustrated as he's ever been in his life, as Newsday's Roderick Boone chronicles. "I've had stretches [before] where one or two games, I had off-games," Williams said. "Never like this. I've never been consistently playing this bad."
- The Jazz aren't jumping into a move that would free up more playing time for Derrick Favors, but Favors isn't discouraged when he sees fellow power forward Paul Millsap on the floor down the stretch, as Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune observes.
- Shaun Powell of Sports On Earth examines teams that are near the bottom of the standings and seem destined to stay there for years to come, given their cap situations.
- Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group recounts the rapid ascent of the Clippers and Warriors.
- He spent most of 2012 spearheading the launch of Hoops Rumors as the site's lead writer, but his work with our sister website, MLB Trade Rumors, earned Luke Adams an honorable mention on the list of the year's most influential Canadians in baseball, as compiled by Bob Elliott of the Toronto Sun.
Odds & Ends: Nets, D-Will, Heat, Iguodala
The Nets are looking to win their third straight game under P.J. Carlesimo tonight in San Antonio, and whether or not they can pull it out, the team appears to be in no rush to begin searching for a replacement for Carlesimo. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com echoes what we've heard over the last couple days, writing that the interim head coach will get a "legit shot" to finish the 2012/13 season. Phil Jackson remains Brooklyn's "dream hire," but the club recognizes that it's difficult to hire an established coach to take over mid-season (all Twitter links). As the Nets and Spurs play one of the final games of 2012, we'll take a look at a few Monday evening odds and ends:
- According to Chris Bernucca of Sheridan Hoops, Deron Williams is "a Ferrari with engine problems" at the moment, which is particularly troublesome after the Nets signed Williams to a five-year, maximum-salary contract over the summer. D-Will says Avery Johnson's dismissal was a big wake-up call for the team as a sign of "what happens when you lose" (Twitter link via Rod Boone of Newsday), so we'll see if the point guard's performance improves in the coming weeks.
- Asked about the possibility of the Heat signing Kenyon Martin, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel suggests it's hard to argue that he wouldn't be an upgrade.
- Despite being in a potential contract year, Andre Iguodala hasn't had to think about trade rumors this season, which has been a relief, as he tells Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld.
- The Celtics still have plenty of time to turn things around, and the impending return of Avery Bradley should provide a boost, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
Aldridge On Nets, Phil Jackson, Cousins
It may be New Year's Eve, but that doesn't mean TNT's David Aldridge is taking a break from his weekly Morning Tip piece on NBA.com. In this week's column, Aldridge recaps the top 10 stories of 2012, including the Lakers' coaching carousel, the Dwightmare, and LeBron James' first NBA championship. He also dishes a few rumors on the Nets' coaching search and DeMarcus Cousins' availability, so let's check out the highlights:
- According to Aldridge, the Nets thought that Avery Johnson carried his desire for a contract extension too far, considering plenty of other respected coaches around the league began coaching in the final year of their respective contracts without extensions.
- While the Nets are saying P.J. Carlesimo will get a shot to prove he deserves to be the team's permanent head coach, Phil Jackson is still expected to get the first call if and when Brooklyn begins a coaching search in earnest. "It's Phil," a league coaching source tells Aldridge. "That's coming straight from Russia."
- Kings GM Geoff Petrie insists that Cousins is not on the trade block in Sacramento: "He's not going anywhere. You can lay that to rest. Some of that stuff lives in its own reality." However, Aldridge hears from sources that the Kings are ready to consider moving the volatile big man for "a package of less talented, perhaps, but more emotionally grounded players."
- Some members of the Kings were surprised when Cousins was reinstated and showed up for practice so soon after being suspended, and weren't overly moved by his attempt to apologize. "When he apologized to the team, two players stood up and said 'we've heard this bull(bleep) before,'" a source tells Aldridge. "'You're either going to be with us, or you're not. We don't want to hear any more excuses.'"
- Examining teams with rumored interest in Cousins, Aldridge makes note of some potential roadblocks: The Celtics would be reluctant to part with Avery Bradley in any trade, the Pistons wouldn't be eager to pair Cousins with Andre Drummond, who Aldridge says "has his own growing up to do," and the Wizards likely wouldn't want to take on someone of questionable character after clearing the roster of that sort of player within the last year.
Latest On Nets Coaching Search
Since the firing of head coach Avery Johnson on Thursday, rumors have swirled around the Brooklyn Nets as to who will replace him. For now, though, Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the team isn't in a hurry to replace interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo. Nets GM Billy King made it clear that, although the team will continue looking, Carlesimo has the organization's support for the time being.
"We've put our support behind (P.J.) and then we'll look at things and evaluate it later," King said. "I know people have been throwing lists together and things like that, but we have not contacted anybody. … We've made the move and now we're going to let P.J. coach."
Phil Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy are believed to be the Nets' two top priorities in terms of head coaching targets. Former Blazers coach Nate McMillan, former Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy, and current Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson are also believed to be under consideration.
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, 76ers, Martin, Nets
While the Nets' poor showing in December may have cost head coach Avery Johnson his job, another Atlantic Division team has been struggling this month as well. The Celtics have lost six of their last eight games, including their last two contests by a combined 47 points. Boston's only two wins in that span have come against the league's second-worst team (the Cavaliers) and those reeling Nets, in Johnson's second-last game. As we wait to see if the C's can get on the right track tonight against the 10-19 Kings, let's take a look at a few Atlantic-related links….
- It's not clear whether the Celtics will still explore the free agent market, since even signing a player to a minimum-salary contract could adversely affect the team's cap situation, as Danny Ainge tells Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. "We have restraints because of the [luxury tax] apron," Ainge said, presumably referring to Boston's hard cap. "And it puts limitations on us and I don’t want to get our backs against the wall where it limits us even more for significant progress in any sort of transaction that may come available later. So we’re trying to patient."
- John N. Mitchell of the Philadelphia Enquirer believes that free agent big man Kenyon Martin would be a good addition to the Sixers' roster, and at least one unnamed Philadelphia player agrees: "His attitude has been an issue for him in certain places. But one thing you know is that he's going to play hard all the time, and he's going to bring emotion. I think he'd help us more than he would hurt."
- The Nets' roster as constructed isn't championship-caliber, says Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News, adding that owner Mikhail Prokhorov "has a Chevy on his hands in Brooklyn that he believes to be a Rolls-Royce."
Nets Waive Josh Childress
10:41pm: Beck reports that Childress had been waived at his own request and wants an opportunity for a more significant role somewhere else (Twitter links).
10:19pm: Nets GM Billy King announced that the team has officially requested waivers on Josh Childress, according to the team's PR Twitter account. Howard Beck of the New York Times tweeted that Brooklyn had until January 10th to waive the 6'8" swingman before his contract would become fully guaranteed. Had Childress remained past the deadline, he would have been owed close to $1.07MM for the season.
The former sixth overall pick of the 2004 draft did not see much playing time this season, averaging 7.1 MPG and shooting 28.6% overall from the field. After playing close to 10 MPG in November, Childress only saw a total of nine minutes in December.
With the roster now at 14, Beck (via Twitter) says that Brooklyn will have a chance to add another free agent once other teams start waiving non-guaranteed contracts next week.