Eastern Notes: Sixers, Shaw, Ariza, Hennigan
While Charles Barkley continues to be one of the NBA's most outspoken and entertaining TV analysts, Sir Charles has indicated in the past that he'd love a chance to be hired as general manager of the Suns. If Barkley were running another one of his former teams, the Sixers, he'd be facing a big decision this summer, and he'd prepared to let Andrew Bynum walk in free agency, as John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Here are a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:
- In a Q&A with Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Pacers assistant Brian Shaw says his goal is to become a head coach someday. However, Shaw says he's in a "great situation" in Indiana, so he won't pursue a head coaching job that wouldn't be a good fit.
- In a week that featured Carmelo Anthony playing in Denver and Dwight Howard playing in Orlando, Trevor Ariza's first game against his former team, the Hornets, unsurprisingly isn't drawing much attention, and that's fine with him. "I’ve been on a number of teams," the Wizards forward told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. "Treat it like it’s a regular game. Not really worry about me, or individual things, but this is not an individual sport. It’s a team sport. Just stick to our game plan and do what I need to do."
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel details the close relationship between Thunder GM Sam Presti and Rob Hennigan, his Magic counterpart and former employee.
- Sam Smith's latest mailbag at Bulls.com is predictably heavy on Derrick Rose questions and answers.
Poll: Should Derrick Rose Play This Season?
The last time we saw Derrick Rose in an NBA game was during Game One of the Bulls' opening playoff series against the 76ers last April. After tearing his ACL in that contest, Rose has been rehabbing all year, and has reportedly been medically cleared to return to action. Still, Rose remains uncertain that he'll play this season.
Even though Rose hasn't had any physical setbacks, he still must overcome a number of mental hurdles before he returns to the court. Few, if any, NBA players were able to replicate Rose's explosiveness and aggressiveness in the past, and recapturing that style of play on a surgically-repaired knee won't be easy, if it's possible at all. With just 18 games remaining in the regular season for the Bulls, it's unlikely we'd see Rose back to 100% in time for the postseason, no matter when he makes his 2012/13 debut.
Although the Bulls have publicly stated they aren't pressuring Rose to play, which he confirms, a number of executives around the league have questioned where the story on Rose's medical clearance came from, if not the Bulls. ESPN.com's Chris Broussard spoke to a number of execs about Rose's return, and the general consensus was that Chicago should be deferring to Rose's timetable. If he wants to return for the playoffs, one executive said, he should be given the opportunity, but if anything doesn't feel right, he should be shut down for the season. Another executive suggested that if Rose doesn't return by April 1st, he should probably be shut down.
The Bulls are currently fifth in the Eastern Conference, and with no other teams in the conference currently looming as a legit threat to the Heat, it's easy to argue that a Chicago club with a healthy Rose would immediately become the East's second-best team. But this late in the season, it's unlikely we'll see a Rose that's 100% healthy, so there's certainly some risk in bringing back a franchise player that's signed through 2017.
What do you think? Should Rose try to play before season's end, or should he focus on getting back to full health for 2013/14?
Should Derrick Rose play this season?
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No, he should focus on getting 100% healthy for next season 51% (471)
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Yes, if he feels mentally ready 49% (459)
Total votes: 930
Hornets Sign Louis Amundson, Waive Henry Sims
TUESDAY, 10:03am: The Hornets have officially signed Amundson for the remainder of the season, the team announced in a press release. Sims has been released to clear a roster spot, according to the club.
MONDAY, 3:26pm: Louis Amundson's brief stint with the Bulls will come to an end tonight, as the big man tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (Twitter link) that he'll sign with the Hornets once his 10-day contract with the Bulls expires. Amundson's new deal with New Orleans will be for the rest of the season, adds Tomasson (via Twitter).
Amundson, 30, played just two minutes for Chicago, appearing in only one of the five games the team played during his 10 days with the club. He expects to receive more minutes with the Hornets, as he tells Tomasson (Sulia link).
"Chicago was prepared to sign me to another 10-day," Amundson said in a text message. "But I felt I should go somewhere where I can get a better opportunity to play."
In 20 games with the Timberwolves earlier this season, Amundson averaged just 8.1 minutes per contest, his lowest mark since 2007/08. His 6.4 PER and .368 FG% were also career-lows. The Wolves cut him last month when they signed Chris Johnson and Mickael Gelabale to rest-of-season deals.
The Hornets currently have a full roster of 15 players, though two of those guys are on 10-day deals. Henry Sims' 10-day contract expires tomorrow night, so I would guess that New Orleans will wait until Wednesday to sign Amundson, ensuring that the team doesn't have to release a player on a guaranteed contract.
Central Notes: Pistons, Ayon, Bulls, Rose
Only one Central Division team is in action tonight, as the Pistons visit the Jazz in Utah. The good news for a Jazz team looking to snap a four-game losing streak? The Pistons have lost their last two road games, against the Spurs and Clippers, by a combined 71 points. As we wait to see which team can snap out of its recent funk, here are a few updates on Central clubs:
- Pistons owner Tom Gores is disappointed that the team isn't in the hunt for a playoff spot this year, but is pleased with Detroit's cap flexibility going forward, says Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News.
- Gustavo Ayon made comments on Spanish radio suggesting he isn't thrilled by his role with the Bucks, as Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype passes along in English. Ayon's contract with Milwaukee includes a team option for next season, but it sounds as if the big man would be interested in a buyout that would allow him to join Spain's FC Barcelona.
- Steve Rosenbloom of the Chicago Tribune is suspicious of the Bulls' motives after news leaked that Derrick Rose has been medically cleared to play. While the Bulls' public stance is that they're not putting any pressure on Rose to return, Rosenbloom suggests the leak creates "precisely the kind of pressure the Bulls said they were not applying."
Odds & Ends: Bulls, Gasol, Nuggets, Kings
Here's tonight's look around the Association..
- The Bulls may have the best trade package for the Lakers if they try to trade for Pau Gasol, but Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com (on Twitter) can't really see the big man playing for coach Tom Thibodeau.
- The Nuggets roster has been shaped by the club's blockbuster Carmelo Anthony deal of 2011, writes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post. "It was a great trade," said former NBA guard Steve Kerr. "The pieces all fit really well with a coach who is renowned for player development and up-tempo basketball… In the end, it's not as if the team was winning in the playoffs with Carmelo anyway."
- There's an eight-figure gap between the bids being put up by the Sacramento group and the Seattle group for the Kings, sources close to the situation tell Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
- The Mavericks cut guard Dominique Jones over his unwillingness to go to the D-League, but Dirk Nowitzki hopes that Jones finds new work rather quickly, according to Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram (on Sulia).
- Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (on Sulia) hears from sources that the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas is adopting an NCAA tournament-style elimination format.
Odds & Ends: Oden, Mavs, Rose, HGH, Kings
Greg Oden and the Cavs appeared to engage in heavy flirtation last night, as the former No. 1 overall pick sat in one of owner Dan Gilbert's courtside seats at the Cavs-Grizzlies game. While Oden regards Cleveland as one of his favored destinations for a return to the league, the Cavs haven't made him an offer, agent Mike Conley Sr. tells Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida (Twitter link). Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld believes the big man will eventually sign with the Heat, based on multiple sources who insist Miami will be his choice, in spite of the ability other teams have to offer him more money and a longer contract (Twitter links). Oden isn't expected to sign with any team until the summer, so we'll likely be hearing plenty more about him in the coming months. In the meantime, here's more from around the league:
- Coach Rick Carlisle expects the Mavs will look at players to fill the roster spot vacated today when the team waived Dominique Jones, tweets Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com.
- Bulls GM Gar Forman says there's no rift between Derrick Rose and the team's front office over the timing of the former MVP's return from injury, notes Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune.
- Henry Abbott of ESPN.com reported yesterday that the NBA and the players union were nearing an agreement that would subject players to blood tests for human growth hormone as soon as next season, but Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News hears no deal is close.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com interprets David Stern's call for Sacramento bidders to pour more money into their efforts to buy the Kings as a sign that the commissioner isn't as closely aligned with the city as it might have otherwise appeared.
- Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic caught up with Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, who spoke at length about his push to keep the Kings in town.
- For draft prospects on college teams that might not make it to the NCAA tournament, the week ahead will be their final opportunity to make an impression before the combine. Chad Ford of ESPN.com, in an Insider piece, takes a look at five prospects who could be seeing their last collegiate action.
Central Notes: Rose, Calderon, Mayo, Bucks, Bulls
Derrick Rose's return to the Bulls may be just around the corner, as Rose's doctor has cleared him to play, according to Melissa Isaacson of ESPNChicago.com. The Bulls guard still isn't entirely comfortable dunking off his left foot, and isn't 100% ready mentally to make his 2012/13 debut, so the club isn't pressuring him, writes Isaacson. But it sounds as if Rose will return well in advance of the postseason, perhaps within the next week or two. As we look forward to seeing the former MVP back on the court, let's round up a few more items out of the Central Division….
- Jose Calderon tells David Mayo of MLive.com that he's taking a wait-and-see approach with free agency, but appreciates the fact that the Pistons had genuine interest in him rather than simply acquiring him for his expiring contract.
- If Calderon doesn't re-sign with the Pistons, expect O.J. Mayo to be one of the team's top targets, Mayo (David, not O.J.) writes in a separate piece.
- Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth examines the big offseason approaching for the Bucks, as Brandon Jennings, Monta Ellis, and J.J. Redick prepare to hit free agency.
- As he does every Friday, Sam Smith of Bulls.com opens up his mailbag and addresses a number of Bulls-related questions and comments from readers.
Central Notes: Thibodeau, Ellington, Stephenson
Last night was a tough one for the Central Division, as both the Bulls and Pacers lost competitive battles against the Celtics and Spurs. The exception to the rule was Kyrie Irving and his Cavaliers, who defeated the struggling Jazz at home. Here are a few notes from around one of basketball's toughest divisions.
- Writing at the New York Times, Justin Kubatko goes into the numbers to explain just how effective Tom Thibodeau has been as a defensive mastermind over the past few years.
- Wayne Ellington has bounced around the league a bit in his first few years since getting drafted out of the University of North Carolina, but with the Cavaliers it appears he may have found a permanent home, telling Jodie Valade of the Cleveland Plain Dealer that he hopes he can sign long term with the team this offseason.
- NBA.com's Scott Agness writes about Pacers guard Lance Stephenson, and how helpful he's been in the open court for a team that could use even more of an offensive boost in transition.
Bulls Sign Louis Amundson
SATURDAY, 1:01pm: The Bulls have made Amundson's signing official, announcing it in a press release.
FRIDAY, 2:19pm: Amundson turned down a rest-of-season offer from another team because he had already committed to the Bulls' 10-day offer, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). It's not clear which club made Amundson the offer.
11:48am: The Bulls will sign Louis Amundson to a 10-day contract, according to Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida (via Twitter). Amundson was said to be drawing interest from at least four Eastern Conference teams, with ESPN.com's Marc Stein reporting that Chicago was the frontrunner.
The Knicks, Heat, and Celtics also had interest in Amundson. However, the Knicks would have needed to release a player or give up on Kenyon Martin to make room for the big man. The Heat, meanwhile, liked Amundson, but felt he duplicated a lot of the skills Chris Andersen brings to the table, according to Tomasson (Twitter link). As for the Celtics, they filled their final roster spot earlier today by signing Shavlik Randolph.
In 20 games with the Timberwolves earlier this season, Amundson averaged just 8.1 minutes per contest, his lowest mark since 2007/08. His 6.4 PER and .368 FG% were also career-lows. The Wolves cut him last month when they signed Chris Johnson and Mickael Gelabale to rest-of-season deals.
If Amundson does well in Chicago on his first 10-day contract, the Bulls have room under their hard cap to eventually sign him for the remainder of the season. The 30-year-old is expected to finalize the deal with the Bulls tomorrow, according to Tomasson.
Bulls Frontrunners To Sign Lou Amundson
10:51pm: The Bulls are in talks to sign Amundson, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who adds that a decision is expected on Friday.
8:16pm: Amundson's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledges that while the Knicks are currently in the mix, his client is currently "close" to signing with another team (Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets).
1:51pm: Since being cut by the Timberwolves nearly three weeks ago, Louis Amundson has yet to find another NBA job. However, the big man tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that a few teams are interested in him, including the Heat, Knicks, Celtics, and Bulls.
The Heat, Celtics and Bulls all have open roster spots, while the Knicks would have to clear room on the roster to make a move. According to Amundson, New York is waiting to see how things work out with Kenyon Martin before making a decision. The Knicks could also waive Rasheed Wallace to clear a roster spot. As for the Heat, Amundson told Tomasson that there may be too much overlap between his skillset and Chris Andersen's. The Birdman recently signed with Miami for the remainder of the season.
While four Eastern Conference teams remain in the mix for Amundson, he was nearly sent to another Eastern club earlier this season. According to Amundson, a trade that would have sent him and Luke Ridnour to the Sixers for Spencer Hawes was nixed by Minnesota, out of concern that dealing Ridnour would leave the team thin at point guard while Ricky Rubio worked his way back to 100%.
Since he was released earlier in February, Amundson will be postseason-eligible for his next team even if he signs after tomorrow's buyout deadline.