Los Angeles Rumors: Olshey, Gasol, Brown
Neither of L.A.'s two teams has played a game in a week's time, but that hasn't stopped the news from coming out of the City of Angels, as the Lakers and Clippers plot their offseason plans.
- Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com observes that Rich Cho, the last GM candidate who traveled abroad to speak with Blazers owner Paul Allen about the position, as Clippers GM Neil Olshey has reportedly done, wound up getting the job.
- We passed along today that Sam Smith of Bulls.com hears Pau Gasol would be interested in playing for the Bulls, but Kyler doesn't think Chicago would take on Gasol's contract, which has two seasons and close to $38.3MM left on it (Twitter link).
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld would be "more than shocked" if the Lakers fire coach Mike Brown, despite the team's first-round struggles and second-round ouster in the playoffs (Twitter link).
- Earlier this evening I examined the upcoming free agency of Lakers backup big man Jordan Hill.
Sam Smith On Howard, Bulls, Gasol, Lowry
Bulls.com scribe Sam Smith has a new column up today, which includes plenty of news, notes, and rumors from around the NBA. Let's dive in….
- Brooklyn is still considered the likeliest destination for Dwight Howard, though teams like the Rockets, Trail Blazers, and Warriors may be willing to risk renting D12 for a year. The Magic are expected to make another run at retaining Howard once the team has a new GM in place.
- Smith hears from "Lakers insiders" that Pau Gasol would be interested in playing for the Bulls. He adds that Gasol and Kobe Bryant were "constantly at odds" in Los Angeles this season.
- If the Bulls and Lakers were to discuss a Gasol deal, Luol Deng would have to be the centerpiece rather than Carlos Boozer, says Smith.
- NBA general managers previously rejected a rule that would allow players to touch the ball on the rim, but that idea could be revisited now that the league has introduced a new competition comittee.
- Kyle Lowry appears on his way out of Houston, according to Smith, who says the Rockets were "quietly shopping" the point guard before his injury this season. The Rockets would like to re-sign Goran Dragic, who isn't interested in returning as a backup.
Odds & Ends: Warriors, Spurs, Green, Malone
Let's catch up on the latest news and happenings from around the NBA…
- NewsOk.com's Berry Tramel writes about how the Spurs and Thunder are so similar in their foundation.
- In a tweet, NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper says the Warriors will be conducting a workout on Monday. Some players expected to participate are Tony Wroten, Draymond Green, Royce White, and others. The Warriors currently hold the 30th pick from their trade deadline deal to acquire Richard Jefferson.
- Danny Green is enjoying a dream season with the Spurs after once wondering if he'd ever make it in the NBA, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday. The former North Carolina star has gone from being cut by the Cavaliers after his rookie season to starting at shooting guard for the Spurs.
- Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com wonders what the Warriors will do next if assistant head coach Michael Malone leaves the franchise for a head coaching job this offseason. Malone has been a major part of head coach Mark Jackson's coaching staff as the former point guard has only 66 games of coaching experience to draw from as he enters his second season guiding the Warriors.
- The Bulls are exploring leaving their suburban practice facility, the Berto Center, in favor of a downtown location to cut down on commuting before home games, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. A move downtown would save the Bulls money as they currently provide players free access to a hotel room prior to home games so that they can avoid rush hour traffic.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com wonders where the Sixers go from here now that they've been eliminated from by the playoffs by the Celtics. The team will continue to look for a star player to add to the roster while facing many decisions about its current roster heading into next season.
- USA Basketball chairman Jerry Colangelo is ready to field the most competitive roster for the 2012 Summer Olympics, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. While most of the players from the 2008 squad should be back on this year's roster, the team will be without Dwight Howard as he is currently rehabbing from back surgery in Los Angeles.
Odds & Ends: Motiejunas, Bradley, Draft, Frye
Friday afternoon's odds and ends:
- Donatas Motiejunas, Houston's 20th overall pick in 2011, spoke to Jakub Wojczynski of Przeglad Sportowy about his future and his plan to join the Rockets. While Motiejunas cautioned that it's "not 100%" he'll be in the NBA next season, he seems like a good bet to sign this summer.
- Doc Rivers and the Celtics confirmed today that Avery Bradley will undergo shoulder surgery and miss the rest of the playoffs (Twitter link).
- Hornets coach Monty Williams tells John Reid of the New Orleans Times Picayune that he doesn't think this draft class is as deep as advertised. "I don’t think you’re going to find a [Manu] Ginobili at 52," Williams said. "The last few weeks I’ve had a chance to look at all these young guys on tape and I’m not jaded by the hoopla as everybody else is. I think there are good players, but I don’t see this deep draft."
- One GM told ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) that he'd have "no concerns" drafting Perry Jones III in the top five.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com discusses trade candidates Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol in his "Friday 5" feature.
- Channing Frye's availability for the start of next season is in doubt as the Suns forward rehabs a shoulder injury, says Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Sam Smith fields plenty of Bulls questions in his latest mailbag for Bulls.com.
Central Notes: Collison, Jones, Cavs, Bulls
With the Bulls falling to the Sixers in the first round of the playoffs, the Pacers are the lone representative out of the Central Division still doing battle as their series against the Heat continues Tuesday night in Miami. Here's the latest news and stories making headlines out of the Central Division.
- Thanks to his speed and quickness, Darren Collison continues to show that Larry Bird made the right decision to acquire him two summers ago from the Hornets, writes Zak Keefer of The Indianapolis Star. The backup point guard for the Pacers scored 10 points during the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Heat in what could have been a less competitive effort for the Pacers if not for Collison. "As long as I try and be aggressive, I can create opportunities not only for myself, but for my teammates, too."
- Brendan Savage of MLive.com says Perry Jones III might be a good fit for the Pistons thanks to his talent but his lack of desire may lead to a steep learning curve in the NBA. The 6-foot-11, 235-pound power forward has all the skills that make a player attractive teams especially with his ability to rebound and run the floor, but the former Baylor star showed little progress from his freshman to sophomore year in Waco. Simply put, the Pistons must be able to determine if they can get the most out of his boundless talents.
- While it's all but certain that Anthony Davis will be the first pick of the NBA draft next month, the Cavaliers will have many different options to choose from if they end up selecting third, suggests Starting Blocks of Cleveland.com.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com wonders what star the Bulls need to add to their roster in order to remain competitive without Derrick Rose and how the team should go about making such an acquisition. Smith suggests the option of the Bulls looking to rebuild with eyes on adding a player or two from the 2014 free agent class to join Rose. Chris Bosh, LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Danny Granger headline the list of possibilities that could end up in Chicago two seasons from now.
Odds & Ends: Raptors, Gay, Bulls, Hibbert, Draft
Links from around the Association as the Thunder and Lakers do battle at the Staples Center…
- Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld looks at possible draft day trades for the Raptors. Possible targets include Rudy Gay of the Grizzlies and Luol Deng of the Bulls should they choose to restructure their roster in anticipation of Derrick Rose's return in 2013.
- You might think that a player in his contract year would be focused on building up his stats, but Pacers center Roy Hibbert isn't overly concerned with that, writes Conrad Brunner of Pacers.com.
- Matt Moore of CBSSports.com hosts a roundtable to ask if the Western Conference is still the stronger of the two.
- HoopsWorld compiled the complete history of every draft pick from No.1 all the way to No. 60.
Odds & Ends: Olympics, Howard, Bulls, Mavericks
A few Thursday afternoon odds and ends from around the Association….
- When Mike Krzyzewski steps down, Gregg Popovich is the logical choice to coach Team USA, argues Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
- Roy Hibbert told Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that he attempted to get his release from Team Jamaica so he could potentially play for Team USA, but that it's a dead issue and he has moved on.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel wonders why, if Dwight Howard truly wants to stay with the Magic, he doesn't come out and say so.
- Ronnie Brewer told ESPN 1000 in Chicago that he hopes both he and Kyle Korver can return to the Bulls next season, as ESPNChicago.com notes. Both players are on non-guaranteed contracts for 2012/13.
- According to Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com, Rick Carlislie's comments on Dallas radio open the door for speculation that the Mavericks could explore packaging Lamar Odom in a trade for a player on a large contract.
Atlantic Notes: Deron Williams, Printezis, Knicks
The two remaining Atlantic teams in the postseason continued their second-round battle last night, with the Celtics dominating the Sixers in Philadelphia to take a 2-1 series lead. While we wait for the series to resume on Friday night, here are a few items of interest from the Atlantic Division:
- Deron Williams and his wife are currently on a vacation in Russia, home of Nets majority owner Mikhail Prokhorov. Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes that the trip could bode well for Brooklyn's chances of re-signing Williams. Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record, on the other hand, says Nets fans should feel good about the team's chances, but not because of Williams' trip to Moscow.
- In December's sign-and-trade with the Mavericks for Tyson Chandler, the Knicks gained the rights to Greek forward Georgios Printezis. Marc Berman of the New York Post examines New York's chances of bringing the Olympiacos star to the NBA next season, and concludes that it's a long-shot for a Knicks team that's already restricted by the salary cap.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld discusses those cap limitations, noting that the new CBA could make things for teams like the Knicks, who have a lot of money tied up in long-term contracts. The Bulls and Lakers are other clubs who could be affected.
- Watching the Sixers this postseason, it's easy to see why they were frequently rumored to have interest in a scorer like Monta Ellis, says Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com.
Bulls Notes: Boozer, Rose, Offseason
In six games against the 76ers, Carlos Boozer averaged a disappointing 13.5 PPG, 42.2 FG%, and 3.8 turnovers per game compared to his 15/ 53.2/ 1.7 averages during the regular season. His 1-for-11 performance in a do-or-die Game Six could only have added more frustration for Bulls fans, as some have reportedly called for Boozer to be amnestied this summer. Bulls general manager Gar Forman was quick to show his support (Sportando link via CBS Chicago) for his starting power forward, as he spoke on The Mully and Hanley Show: "Even in that last game, in 27 minutes, he had 13 boards. I anticipate Carlos being with us and having another productive year next season."
Here's more of what's buzzing in the Windy City:
- Derrick Rose is in good spirits and ready to start rehab, according to his former Simeon high school coach Robert Smith (Scott Powers of ESPN Chicago reports). Rose, who recently underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL and will likely miss eight to 12 months, hasn't spoken publicly since his injury.
- Joel Brigham and Mark Nugent of HoopsWorld wonder if the costly injuries that followed the team's regular season success are a sign to break up the team. Brigham appears to be a proponent of shopping Luol Deng and Joakim Noah in order to bring another star to Chicago. Nugent toys with some hypothetical scenarios, including the idea of trading Ronnie Brewer and Carlos Boozer to New York for Amare Stoudemire, or letting Kyle Korver, Ronnie Brewer, and C.J. Watson walk after amnestying Boozer in order to fall $12-13 MM below the cap. However, Nugent advocates patience and doesn't feel that the risks that come along with either scenario (or in any case) are worth breaking up the team as currently constructed.
- David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune creates a parallel between Rose's injury and when Michael Jordan broke his left foot during the 1985-86 season, adding that Jordan was still able to return as a dynamic player post-injury.
Odds & Ends: Deron Williams, Hawks, Harrington
A few Wednesday afternoon odds and ends, as we prepare for tonight's Celtics/Sixers and Lakers/Thunder contests….
- The Nets believe that re-signing Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace and upgrading at power forward could be enough to convince Deron Williams to re-sign, says Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
- Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal Constitution previews the Hawks' offseason, noting that the team won't have much flexibility to sign free agents this summer.
- Al Harrington underwent successful surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, the Nuggets announced today.
- In an ESPN.com chat, Chad Ford touches on a number of topics, including how he thinks the Magic's offseason will play out.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com examines what the Bulls' 2012/13 season could look like if Derrick Rose is out for a significant chunk of the year.