Eastern Notes: Nets, Petro, Hinrich, Vesely
We've already covered a few stories out of the Eastern Conference today, including Rashard Lewis' desire to play for five more years, the latest on Rasheed Wallace's timetable with the Knicks, and camp cuts by the Sixers and Cavaliers. Now, let's round up another handful of East-related links….
- In the first episode of NBA TV's "The Association," which debuts next week, Nets GM Billy King says Deron Williams urged him not to wait on Dwight Howard and miss out on other opportunities to improve the roster, according to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Johan Petro tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld that he wasn't caught off guard by the trade that sent him to the Hawks, though his destination was a bit of a surprise. "I knew Brooklyn was really trying to do something with Deron," Petro said. "I didn’t know half the team would be gone but I knew they were going to try and do something."
- Though it's been two years since he played for the Bulls, Kirk Hinrich is already feeling comfortable again in Chicago, and his teammates, new and old, are glad to have him on board. Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com has the details.
- With Wizards owner Ted Leonsis recently conceding that his team is better equipped to develop its own stars rather than recruit them, Washington will be looking for continued growth from Jan Vesely this season, says Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald examines Dionte Christmas' quest to earn a spot on the Celtics' roster.
Bucks, Blazers, Hornets, Bulls Eyeing Eddy Curry
Eddy Curry is trying to resurrect his career in training camp with the Spurs, but if he doesn't make the team, it appears he'll plenty of other options. Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio hears the Bucks, Trail Blazers, Hornets and Bulls all could have interest in the 29-year-old 7-footer if the Spurs cut him loose (Sulia link).
Curry was a surprise addition to San Antonio's roster as training camp began last week, and he was reportedly looking fit after having dropped 15 pounds over the summer. The Spurs only have 12 players on fully guaranteed deals, but DeJuan Blair, who has a partial guarantee, and Gary Neal seem destined to make the team, likely leaving just one spot for Curry and four other hopefuls. The early returns indicate that fellow camp invitee Josh Powell is ahead of Curry for that spot, though three weeks still remain before the regular season.
Wherever Curry winds up, he'll likely be getting the minimum salary, which he made last year on a one-year deal with the Heat. He appeared in only 14 games for Miami, averaging 2.1 points and 0.9 rebounds in 5.9 minutes, and didn't play in the postseason. He's only played 21 games total since his last significant action, which came in 2007/08 when he started 58 games for the Knicks amidst a six-year, $56MM deal.
If he winds up with the Bulls, it probably wouldn't be until late November, when the minimum salary pro-rates down to a figure that would fit under their $70.307MM hard cap. Chicago would have to waive or trade one of its guaranteed contracts to put Curry on the regular season roster before then.
Central Rumors: Walton, Jaric, Pistons
The Bulls have had the best record in the NBA for two consecutive seasons, but with Derrick Rose out, they could have a tough time simply recording the best record in the Central Division this year, with the Pacers waiting to pounce. The Bucks, Cavs and Pistons probably aren't division title contenders this year, but they're all arguably improved from last season, meaning the Central figures to be more competitive than it has been in recent years. We'll round up the latest from the division here:
- K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes that playing without Rose will not be an unprecedented situation for the Bulls. The 2011 MVP missed 27 games in the 2011/12 season.
- Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer tweets that there is a 50-50 chance Cavs coach Byron Scott will begin to cut players from the training camp roster after Cleveland's Tuesday preseason game.
- Luke Walton said this week the Cavs haven't approached him about a buyout, but Bob Finnan of the News-Herald believes it isn't out of the question that the team would let him go. Walton is due $6.091MM this year in the final season of a six-year, $30MM contract.
- Scott is impressed with Walton's conditioning, and the 32-year-old forward says he's in better shape than he's been in the past four years, reports Schmitt Boyer. "Can he make the team? Yeah, I think he can make the team, to be honest with you," Scott said. "We’ve got some other tough decisions that I have to make in the next couple of weeks, but right now I’m enjoying the fact that these guys are making it hard on me, which is good."
- K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune checks in with Marko Jaric as he tries to return to the NBA with the Bulls. Chicago doesn't have enough money under its $70.307MM hard cap to put Jaric on the regular season roster for opening day, but the Bulls would be able to add him in late November, when the veteran's minimum pro-rates down to a figure that will fit.
- MLive's David Mayo chronicles the struggles that Pistons rookies are having in camp, and says big man Slava Kravtsov appears to be the farthest along of any of them right now.
Odds & Ends: Lin, White, Heat, Teague
Knicks coach Mike Woodson isn't looking to discuss Jeremy Lin as training camp underway, but Tyson Chandler was willing to give his thoughts on the former toast of the town, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. “Jeremy was a young point guard who was inexperienced, who brought a great light to the organization. But as far as being able to run the offense and putting players in the right position he just wasn’t there. We got some veteran point guards that are capable of doing that," said Chandler. All things considered, the big man believes that this year's trio of Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd, and Pablo Prigioni is a big step up over last season’s trio of Lin, Baron Davis, and Mike Bibby. Here's more from around the league..
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld (via Twitter) is happy to see that Royce White and the Rockets worked out an arrangement for the forward to travel to some road games via bus but wonders what took the team so long. Kennedy notes that White made his fear of flying well known to clubs during the draft process.
- Heat training camp invite Jack McClinton is currently deciding between playing in the D-League this year and taking a more lucrative offer in China, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel. The former University of Miami standout was leaning towards the latter until coach Erik Spoelstra told him that he was good enough to make an NBA team. Staying stateside would give McClinton an easier path to the league as a mid-season pickup.
- Bulls rookie Marquis Teague is working hard to help contribute as much as possible in the absence of Derrick Rose, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld.
Central Notes: Bulls, Pacers, Cavs, Pistons
Shams Charania of RealGM had a few interesting tidbits to relay from Bulls camp, writing about how coach Tom Thibodeau personally recruited Nate Robinson, Andre Emmett's fight to earn a contract during training camp and his willingness to sign with the team at any point during the season, and coach Thibodeau's aim to maintain Joakim Noah's minutes during the season. We have quite a few more links to share with news from the Central Division…
- K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune notes that despite losing many rotation players from last year's team, Thibodeau likes the versatility of the team's new additions and the flexibility of the roster overall.
- Pacers insider Mike Wells of IndyStar.com breaks down what he will pay attention to during the team's scrimmage on Friday, particularly Roy Hibbert's positioning, the play of the reserves, Paul George's ball-handling, and how the rookies fare.
- Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio listed some of his early observations from Cavaliers training camp early on, saying that Dion Waiters' conditioning is not an issue, C.J. Miles is standing out as a perimeter shooting threat, Samardo Samuels and Jon Leuer appear to have earned significant roles, and that the team will have tough roster decisions to make by the end of camp.
- Cavaliers coach Byron Scott appears especially impressed with Leuer, who the team had claimed off waivers in July. "I just don't think he knows how good he can be," said Scott (according to a tweet by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer). Jason Lloyd of the Beacon Journal elaborates about Samuels' hard work this past summer, shedding 20 pounds since the end of last season and has cut down his body fat from 15 percent to between six and seven percent.
- Jonny Flynn and Terrence Williams, the sixth and ninth picks of the 2009 NBA draft respectively, find themselves vying for guaranteed contracts on the Pistons roster. David Mayo of MLive.com writes about their thoughts on the opportunity as well as head coach Lawrence Frank's firm belief that both are NBA players. Frank says that he's liked what he's seen from Flynn and Williams in camp so far, even pointing out that he sees Williams as a point guard (and not a wing player).
Bulls Waive Vance Cooksey
According to an official press release from Bulls.com, Chicago has waived Vance Cooksey. The guard out of Pikeville was signed to the team's training camp roster this past Monday and had played in the D-League last season. The Bulls roster is now at 17.
Belinelli Hoping For Long-Term Stay With Bulls
Marco Belinelli's contract with the Bulls is only for one season, but the Italian sharpshooter is hoping to play in Chicago for longer than a year, as he tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com. Belinelli's goal is to share a backcourt with Derrick Rose, who cited him as the Bulls' most impressive newcomer in camp, for years to come.
"I’m here because I want to stay here long," Belinelli said. "I want to win and I want to improve my game. And it’s amazing to hear [Rose’s compliment]. For me, to hear something like that from the MVP of the team and one of the best players in the league, it’s unbelievable."
The Bulls signed Belinelli this offseason using the bi-annual exception, which played a part in hard-capping team salary at $74.3MM. If Belinelli has a productive year though, I wouldn't expect the Bulls to have an issue with re-signing him at a salary in the same vicinity next summer — particularly if the club parts ways with Richard Hamilton.
Belinelli, a former 18th overall pick, has already played for the Warriors, Raptors, and Hornets in his five-year NBA career.
Central Rumors: Gibson, Thomas, West, Kravtsov
- As the Bulls and Taj Gibson make progress toward an extension, Shams Charania of RealGM.com says both sides want to make a long-term commitment (Twitter link).
- Charania also checks in with Malcolm Thomas, the Bulls summer league standout who signed to play in Israel. Before he inked that contract, Thomas had an agreement in place with Dongguan on the Chinese Basketball Association, but the deal fell apart, Charania reports.
- Entering the final year of his contract with the Pacers, David West appears much healthier to start this season than he was a year ago, when he was still feeling the effects of his torn left ACL, writes Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
- The Pistons are impressed with Ukrainian big man Slava Kravtsov despite a language barrier that causes some on-court communication problems, as MLive's David Mayo writes.
- Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio shares Cavs coach Byron Scott's thoughts on the new anti-flopping rule, and the coach seems unconcerned, despite the presence of noted flopper Anderson Varejao on the roster. Scott also says he's impressed with second-year man Tristan Thompson, and says he has an edge over Samardo Samuels and Jon Leuer for the starting power forward job.
- Kelenna Azubuike started 51 games for the Warriors in 2008/09, but in large measure because of two surgeries on a torn left patella tendon, he's only played in 12 NBA games since. Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer looks at how he's trying to resurrect his career with the Cavs this season. Valade also passes along a note from Scott hinting that the team may keep both Donald Sloan and Jeremy Pargo as backups to Kyrie Irving.
- Joe Gabriele of Cavs.com chronicles the unconventional path Alonzo Gee took to become an established player in the NBA.
Eastern Notes: Blatche, Pacers, Allen, Nelson
The Magic were ripped by fans and pundits alike when they dealt Dwight Howard and failed to receive a true impact player like Andrew Bynum in the trade. However, as Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel writes today, the team's decision not to take on Bynum and his balky knees is looking better now than it did at the time. The former Laker, who has been ruled out for three weeks, may end up being fine, but it's something of an ominous start for the Bynum era in Philadelphia, says Bianchi. Here are the rest of the morning's notes out of the Eastern Conference:
- Former NBA head coach John Lucas believes the Nets' signing of Andray Blatche could be the "steal of the summer," as Howard Beck of the New York Times writes. Of course, Lucas may be a little biased — Blatche spent three months this offseason working out in Houston under Lucas' tutelage.
- The Pacers are keeping an "open mind" about whether to carry 15 players into the regular season or whether to keep an open roster spot, according to GM Kevin Pritchard. Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star says he would be "shocked" if Sam Young didn't earn a place on Indiana's roster.
- Ray Allen spoke on the Dan LeBatard Show in Miami about how Pat Riley influenced his decision to sign with the Heat, and Eric Schmoldt of Sports Radio Interviews has the transcript.
- Raymond Felton will get the first shot to start at point guard for the Knicks, and fellow free agent signee Jason Kidd doesn't mind assuming the backup role, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld (Sulia link) explains why the Magic re-signed Jameer Nelson this summer and looks at whether they'd consider trading him later in the season.
- The Bulls' bench may include plenty of new faces, but Taj Gibson doesn't want to retire the "bench mob" moniker. Adam L. Jahns of the Chicago Tribune writes that the team's new additions are looking to be just as productive as last year's second unit.
Greene On Lou Williams, Morrow, Korver
The sound bites we hear in the first week of NBA training camps often fall into the same few categories: Every player is in great shape, no one is worried about contract situations, and every team expects to be in the playoffs. It makes it all the more difficult to get an interesting quote, but Lang Greene of HoopsWorld managed to get a few out of some Hawks, which he rounded up in today's NBA AM piece. Here are the highlights:
- Lou Williams admits that he was caught off guard when the Sixers decided they didn't want to bring him back: "Just to be honest, I was completely surprised. But I think they were in a position where they were trying to transition to a different style of basketball and that showed with them going with bigger guards and getting Andrew Bynum."
- After playing his college ball at Georgia Tech, playing in Atlanta is something of a homecoming for Anthony Morrow, who says he'd like to remain with the Hawks past this season: "I would love to be here long term. It’s like home for me. I’m familiar with here. It would be great. I’m looking forward to it, when that day comes. So I just want to come out and focus on having a great season."
- According to Kyle Korver, the Bulls' front office was upfront with him toward the end of last season about the fact that major personnel changes were coming in Chicago. Korver, along with most of the rest of the Bulls' "bench mob," including Omer Asik, C.J. Watson, John Lucas III, and Ronnie Brewer, are playing for other teams now, and Korver understands why: "It wasn’t anything about our play. It was strictly a business decision. They were way over the salary cap. Derrick [Rose]’s contract is a big one and it kicked in and you already have a lot of other guys locked in."