Odds & Ends: Humphries, Anderson, Magic, Nets
Nets coach Avery Johnson has raised eyebrows around the league for his limited use of forward Kris Humphries, who is earning $12MM this season. However, we've learned today that there might be an explanation for the big man's disappointing play, decreased playing time, and yesterday's benching. Humphries missed today's practice in East Rutherford, New Jersey with an abdominal muscle issue and may require an MRI, writes Mike Gavin of Newsday. Yesterday, 86% of Hoops Rumors readers said that they expect Brooklyn to shop Humphries between now and February, but it's possible that he'll be back in the equation once he's healthy. Here's more from around the league..
- Hornets forward Ryan Anderson was caught off guard by the Magic's decision to trade him in July, writes Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. “Obviously, they were going to go in a different direction that I wasn’t really too much aware of then,’’ said the 24-year-old. “I found out afterward what their plan is. They want to build their nucleus with young talent.’’
- Johnson's decision to 86 Humphries from the rotation will come back to haunt him, opines Amit Badlani of Sheridan Hoops. It's a decision that will satisfy Deron Williams in the short-term, but the Nets need Humphries' size in order to win in the playoffs.
- Chad Ford and Jay Bilas of ESPN.com (Insider sub. req'd) ran down the top ten players in college basketball. Both analysts have Indiana's Cody Zeller pegged as the top talent in the NCAA.
Odds & Ends: Cousins, Rockets, Humphries
With one game still in progress from tonight's docket, let's take a look around the Association..
- Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee notes that the Rockets have had interest in Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins in the past. However, Houston may not want to take on the troubled center at the cost of breaking up what they already have in place. James Harden & Co. are two games above .500 and riding a three game winning streak.
- It would not surprise Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) to see the Nets try and deal forward Kris Humphries and two-guard MarShon Brooks. The early returns on tonight's poll concerning Hump's future in Brooklyn show that 85% of Hoops Rumors readers see the Nets shopping him prior to the deadline. Humphries cannot be traded until January 15th.
- Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle watched a Texas Legends game in order to check out Jared Cunningham and wound up coming away impressed by Chris Douglas-Roberts, who signed with the club earlier today, tweets Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com. The arrival of CDR meant that Dallas had to let Derek Fisher go after his short stint with the club.
- The Knicks may be "stuck" with Amare Stoudemire, but Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld doesn't necessarily see that as a bad thing. The forward was reportedly offered around the league for next-to-nothing this summer but there were no takers due to his contract and injury woes.
- With Fisher gone, now could be the time for Rodrigue Beaubois to steal the spotlight for the Mavericks, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. The 6'0" guard has been mentioned as a trade candidate this season.
Poll: Will The Nets Shop Kris Humphries?
After a red-hot start to the season, things have cooled down rather quickly in Brooklyn. The Nets are now 14-12 following today’s ugly win over the Sixers – not quite cause for absolute panic, but it’s certainly not the kind of record the Nets hoped to have after spending major money this summer. The Nets re-upped Deron Williams on a max deal, gave Gerald Wallace $40MM over four years, and inked Brook Lopez to a four-year, $60MM pact. This offseason’s biggest addition – All-Star guard Joe Johnson – is set to earn nearly $90MM through 2015/16. But the player being most scrutinized these days is forward Kris Humphries, who re-signed with the Nets on a two-year, $24MM deal.
Of course, Avery Johnson has taken his fair share of criticism from people in recent weeks (including a certain point guard wearing No. 8), but Humphries might be the biggest scapegoat on the floor. After starting more than 100 games for the Nets over the past two seasons, Humphries saw himself demoted to the bench in the midst of the club’s five-game slide. After getting back in the starting five for back-to-back games, the 27-year-old was left in his warmups this afternoon while Keith Bogans started in a downsized lineup with Reggie Evans and Andray Blatche offering support in the frontcourt.
Johnson says that Hump isn’t in the doghouse, but it’s hard to believe based on the way that he has been phased out of the rotation. Humphries has survived adversity before, from his lack of playing time in Utah, Toronto, and Dallas to the constant heckling that he endured last season thanks to a high-profile split with a certain Page Six mainstay. However, this might be a case where a trade will benefit both the player and the team.
Will The Nets Try To Trade Kris Humphries?
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Yes 85% (386)
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No 15% (67)
Total votes: 453
New York Notes: Nets, Humphries, Amare, Knicks
We ran down some news out of the Atlantic in the afternoon, now it's time to zero in on the New York teams..
- After inking a two-year, $24MM deal with the Nets in the offseason, Kris Humphries has been pushed out of the starting lineup and to the bench. Against the Sixers today, Hump was left in his warmups for the entire 48 minutes despite being healthy. The forward admitted that the it bothered him and even though coach Avery Johnson warned him that his minutes would fluctuate, he never expected a DNP – coach's decision, Roderick Boone of Newsday tweets.
- Johnson said that Humphries isn't in the doghouse, tweets Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record (on Twitter). "Basically a coach's decision… He's healthy,he's fine,he's not in the doghouse.We just had to try something else," Johnson said. If Johnson is being diplomatic and Humphries doesn't have a place in the Nets' rotation, one has to think that he could be a valuable trade chip between now and February.
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson still says that Amare Stoudemire won't suit up for the D-League's Erie BayHawks, despite his recent assignment, tweets Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal (on Twitter). The forward worked out with the Knicks affiliate in Westchester, New York in preperation for his on-court return.
- Some have wondered if Stouemire and Carmelo Anthony will be able to play well together this time around, but Anthony has no such concerns, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
D-League Notes: Joseph, Machado, Selby, Wroten
Today's D-League assignments and recalls…
- The Celtics announced they have assigned Kris Joseph to the Maine Red Claws for a fourth time this season. In his previous stints in the D-League, the 6'7" rookie has averaged 20.9 points and 6.0 rebounds over seven contests. He may be back with Boston as early as Sunday, since he expects to join the Celtics on their upcoming road trip, according to Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com (Twitter link).
- The Rockets made their recall of Scott Machado official, according to a release from the team.
- The Grizzlies have recalled Josh Selby from the Reno Bighorns, tweets Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Selby looked sharp in his two-game D-League stint, averaging 22.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds after he was assigned to Reno on Monday. Rookie Tony Wroten will likely be sent to the Bighorns in place of Selby for the next eight games, according to Tillery (Twitter link).
- The Rockets will recall Scott Machado from the Rio Grande Valley Vipers today, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (on Twitter). The 6'1" guard averaged 12.0 PPG and 7.1 APG for the Vipers in eleven games.
- The Nets announced that they have recalled Toko Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor from the Springfield Armor of the D-League. The two rookies were assigned to Springfield yesterday. Neither player has seen significant playing time for the Nets this season. Taylor showed off his offensive skills last night for the Armor when he posted 32 points off of 13-28 shooting. Shengalia had a triple-double with 22 points, 12 dimes, and ten boards.
Atlantic Notes: Amare, Nets, Celtics, Brooks
The Knicks expect to have Amare Stoudemire back in action early next week and coach Mike Woodson says that they intend to plant him in the post, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. It was reported this week that the Knicks were practically looking to give Stoudemire away this summer, but after flying the Erie BayHawks to New York for the express purpose of practicing with the forward, it would appear that they are committed to him. Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division, including the cross-town rival Nets.
- MarShon Brooks has been buried on the Nets bench after a breakout rookie campaign, but the youngster says he isn’t unhappy with the franchise over it, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld. Brooks scored 12.6 PPG in almost 30 minutes per game last season but is now averaging 5.3 PPG in eleven minutes per contest as he plays behind Joe Johnson.
- The Celtics‘ Leandro Barbosa is another guard who would like to see some more burn, Brigham writes. Barbosa isn’t sure why the Suns and Pacers didn’t look to bring him back this year, but he says that he was happy to join the Celtics, even if it meant seeing less time on the floor. “They called me,” Barbosa said. “They gave me the opportunity and I was very appreciative that they wanted me to be a part of this team… I knew that my game would fit with this team. I wasn’t really worried about the amount of minutes I would play.”
- Nets coach Avery Johnson says that he isn’t concerned about job security, but he is willing to point the finger at himself somewhat, writes Roderick Boone of Newsday. The coach confessed that he is the man to blame for the club’s inability to close out quarters.
D-League Moves: Jackson, Moultrie, Marshall
We'll round up today's D-League assignments and recalls here. Make sure to keep up with every D-League assignment and recall for the 2012/13 season with this post.
- Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson has been sent to the D-League for a second-time this season, tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. His first stint was a one-day assignment earlier this month, and he registered 20 points and 11 assists in his only game with the Tulsa 66ers. The second-year Boston College product has played a limited role for Oklahoma City this year after serving as the primary backup to Russell Westbrook for a stretch last season.
- The 76ers have assigned Arnett Moultrie to the Sioux Falls Sky Force of the D-League.
- The Suns have recalled Kendall Marshall from the Bakersfield Jam. The 12th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Marshall led the D-League with 7.6 APG while he was playing for Bakersfield.
- The Celtics announced that they have recalled forward Kris Joseph from the Maine Red Claws. Joseph, a 6’7" forward, appeared in seven games for the Red Claws this season and has posted averages of 20.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.0 steals in 38.1 minutes per game.
- The Nets announced that forward Toko Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor have been assigned to the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League. Neither rookie has seen significant playing time with the Nets so far this season. Both players will suit up for the Armor tonight. Shengelia, a practice favorite of coach Avery Johnson, was acquired from the 76ers after being drafted 54th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. Taylor, a rookie out of Kansas, has made ten appearances on the year, scoring 13 points with three steals and two assists.
Odds & Ends: Wolves, Heat, Nets, Johnson
The Timberwolves have a roster vacancy following Josh Howard's season-ending injury and they're getting flooded with calls from agents, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN (via Twitter). One guy who wants to be in Minnesota is Mickael Gelabale, who can opt out of his deal with Valencia on January 1st. Gelabale hasn't played in the NBA since tearing his ACL in the 2007/08 season with the Sonics. Here's more from around the league..
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel doesn't see the Heat and the Cavaliers teaming up for an Anderson Varejao trade. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert probably still has ill feelings towards Miami and Cleveland already owns their 2013 and 2015 first-round picks.
- Knicks guard Jason Kidd doesn't think that Nets coach Avery Johnson is to blame for Deron Williams' shooting woes, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “I don’t think it has anything to do with the coach,” Kidd said Thursday. “I think it’s just a matter of getting comfortable making shots. Also, he has new teammates. He’s got to get used to a new crew. It’s always a growing period."
- Meanwhile, Johnson told reporters that he isn't concerned about his job security and doesn't fear the worst case scenario, according to Roderick Boone of Newsday (on Twitter).
- Kyle Tucker of the Courier-Journal writes that freshman Kentucky center Nerlens Noel is similar to Anthony Davis, and is the current favorite to be the first pick in the 2013 draft.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Bradley, Collins, Copeland
Dave D'Alessandro of the Newark Star-Ledger takes Deron Williams to task for his recent criticism of the Nets offense, believing that if Williams has issues with coach Avery Johnson just as he did with longtime Jazz boss Jerry Sloan, the problem lies with the player, not the coaches. Nonetheless, Filip Bondy of the New York Daily News questions whether Johnson can keep his job amid the signs of friction with Williams and the team's slump. The Brooklyn honeymoon appears to have ended for the 13-12 Nets, and here's more on a few of their Atlantic Division rivals.
- While Kris Humphries and MarShon Brooks are "the most disgruntled players of the bunch," Moke Hamilton of SNY.tv hears that Johnson is on solid footing with most of the Nets, including Williams.
Earlier updates:
- Avery Bradley, on the mend from surgery on both shoulders, said team trainers are targeting January 2nd for his return to the Celtics, notes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers had been planning to wait until Bradley came back to make a lineup switch, but he went ahead and made changes last night, and minimum-salary signee Jason Collins temporarily solved the team's need for an inside presence in his first start. A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com has the story.
- Rookie Chris Copeland returned to the Knicks bench last night with Carmelo Anthony back in the lineup, but it's been quite a journey for the 28-year-old rookie, and Nate Taylor of The New York Times points out that assistant GM Allan Houston was the first within the team's front office to take notice of him.
- Tom Ziller of SB Nation provides his take on five players who would be better off if they were traded, suggesting Raptors power forward Amir Johnson would be a fit for the Spurs.
Eastern Rumors: Jamison, Celtics, D-Will, Wall
Just three games separate the 10th-place Magic from the fourth-place Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings, so it could be quite a scramble for the last few playoff spots. In the meantime, here's what's making news for Eastern teams.
- Antawn Jamison called Bobcats basketball president Rod Higgins when he chose a one-year deal with the Lakers over signing with the Cats this summer, and the veteran power forward, who played his high school ball in the Queen City, won't rule out a return to Charlotte. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer provides detail. "If they still want me back home, I’d sure listen." he said. "I have another couple of years in this body. If they want me, I’d have no reservations about putting on a Bobcats uniform."
- As part of a chat that also touches on several draft prospects, Chad Ford of ESPN.com says the Celtics are high on Tyreke Evans, though they're not as enamored with the fourth-year guard as they were some time ago, when they were willing to trade Rajon Rondo for him. Ford isn't sure the C's possess what the Kings would want in a swap for their soon-to-be restricted free agent.
- The Celtics made moves in the offseason to improve their depth, but advanced statistics show they're not getting much production from anyone other than Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, as Gary Dzen of the Boston Globe highlights.
- Deron Williams blamed the media for putting too much credence into his comparison of the Nets' offense to the motion sets he ran with the Jazz, while Brooklyn coach Avery Johnson said he doesn't take Williams' comments personally. Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News has the story.
- With John Wall believing his chances of returning to play soon are 50-50, Deron Snyder of The Washington Times argues the Wizards should just shut him down for the season if he isn't back in a month. That would give him ample time to heal, and there isn't much the Wizards can accomplish this season with or without him, Snyder believes.