Odds & Ends: Deng, Magic, Ibaka, World Peace
With Tuesday night's second playoff game winding down, let's take a quick break from the action and catch up on the latest stories and headlines from across the league…
- The Bulls will sit down with Luol Deng to discuss his intentions of playing for Team Great Britain during the Olympics this summer in London, writes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel says the Magic's evaluation of general manager Otis Smith and head coach Stan Van Gundy is still ongoing as the organization has yet to make a decision about their fates for next season.
- Serge Ibaka continues to make impressive strides as the Thunder's starting power forward, reports Susan Bible of HoopsWorld.
- The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel says Metta World Peace and Thunder head coach Scott Brooks have forged an unlikely relationship over the years thanks to their time spent together in Sacramento.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld offers his latest NBA mock draft where he has Austin Rivers cracking the top 10 and heading to the Big Easy.
Derrick Rose Not Expected Back Until 2013
The Bulls held a press conference today in Chicago to update the media on Derrick Rose's health and a number of other topics. Here are a few of the notable items from the news conference, courtesy of Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times (all links go to Twitter):
- Dr. Brian Cole, who performed Rose's ACL surgery, said the procedure went very well, but that recovery usually takes eight to 12 months. The best-case scenario for Rose is returning in January 2013, though he could miss the entire season, said Cole.
- It will likely take more than a year for Rose to return to his previous level of play, but there's no reason he shouldn't be that player again, Cole added.
- Bulls GM Gar Forman views Rose's absence as a short-term issue that won't affect the team's long-term plans. Forman said he won't make decisions based on short-term problems, since he doesn't feel the team's window of opportunity will close anytime soon.
- Coach Tom Thibodeau's contract option for 2012/13 will "obviously" be picked up, Garman said. The two sides will begin discussing an extension soon, according to the GM.
Hayes On Bulls’ Offseason Plans
In a new column, Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times addresses several major questions the Bulls will face this offseason:
- Despite his on-court regression in his second season, the Bulls are expected to match all offers on restricted free-agent center Omer Asik.
- Chicago will likely not pick up their options on all three of C.J. Watson, Ronnie Brewer, and Kyle Korver, because they want to clear cap space to re-sign Taj Gibson after next season.
- Hayes speculates that John Lucas III may develop into more of a three-point specialist than a backup point guard, which will likely make him cheaper to retain.
Odds & Ends: Rose, Bulls, Knicks, Terry
The Bulls announced that Derrick Rose underwent successful surgery to repair the torn ACL he suffered a few weeks ago and faces an eight-to-ten month recovery period, writes K.C. Johnson and Fred Mitchell of the Chicago Tribune. In separate pieces, Johnson evaluates the performance of each player on Chicago's roster and talks about how the team's salary cap-restrtictions creates the need to be innovative in trying to improve the roster this summer. Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous links:
- The Knicks will be looking for another point guard to partner with Jeremy Lin, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. Among Berman's list of targets are Kirk Hinrich, Gary Neal, Derek Fisher, A.J. Price, Jannero Pargo, and Jonny Flynn. He also mentions Ramon Sessions, Raymond Felton, Goran Dragic, Andre Miller, Jameer Nelson, and Steve Nash, but I think that the names on this latter list would only be sought after if contract talks with Lin were to somehow fall apart.
- After recently having his interim tag removed, Knicks GM Glen Grunwald has a lot of work cut out for him in the upcoming months, says Al Iannazzone of Newsday. He also adds that with the mid-level likely committed to Lin and no first-round pick, Grunwald will have to be creative with trades and free agency in order to address their back court needs. In another article, Iannazzone goes over the five biggest questions facing the team moving forward.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News speculates that Jason Terry could be on his way out if Deron Williams lands with the Mavericks (subscribers only).
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld engaged in his weekly NBA chat with fans. Here are some of his notable thoughts: the Magic may try to package their #19 pick along with Jason Richardson or Chris Duhon to create cap relief, Austin Rivers' game is comparable to Jason Terry and Jamal Crawford, and predicts that Dwight Howard will wind up signing with the Nets eventually.
- Bob Young of the Arizona Republic offers his input on the chances of reportedly interested teams in their pursuit of Steve Nash. Phoenix, Toronto, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Miami, Orlando, and Portland are given consideration.
- John Rohde of NewsOK explores how the support of his Thunder teammates has played a pivotal role in Eric Maynor's road to recovery from a torn ACL.
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Jazz, Gasol, Hawes
The last time Boston and Philadelphia met in the playoffs, Paul Pierce and Tony Battie were starters for the Celtics, Elton Brand had just wrapped up his first season in a Clippers uniform, and Jrue Holiday was only 11-years-old. The matchup featured a duel of scoring prowess between Pierce and Allen Iverson, whereas now, both teams have intriguing matchups at every position. With Game One underway at the TD Garden, here are tonight's rumblings from around the league:
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld writes that the decisions made this summer with regards to coaching, the draft, and free agency will determine the face of the Mavericks franchise for the rest of Dirk Nowitzki's career.
- Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune writes that Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor is advocating patience as the team continues to build during the post-Deron Williams era. Although the Jazz are not at the same level of the elite teams Western Conference, the team is optimistic about their young core and has offseason flexibility in the form of cap space and a $10 MM trade exception.
- Pau Gasol is aware that the fallout of a loss tonight would include the pressure of a potential breakup of the team, but says that it's not something that should be on their minds, says Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com.
- John N. Mitchell of The Philadelphia Inquirer discusses the importance of Spencer Hawes' matchup with Kevin Garnett in the second round of this year's playoffs. Hawes will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, so a productive performance against the Celtics could earn him a bigger price tag.
- David Haugh of the Chicago Tribune believes that Luol Deng should pass on the Olympics this summer in order to have surgery on his wrist and allow it to properly heal before next season.
Coaching Rumors: Brown, Woodson, Jackson
With a bunch of big-name coaches who aren't under contract for next year and the season coming to a close, there should be plenty of news on the coaching front for a while. Here's the latest:
- Warren LeGarie, the agent for Lakers coach Mike Brown, feels confident his client will return to the bench next season after LeGarie spoke with GM Mitch Kupchak about comments former minority owner Magic Johnson made suggesting Brown would be fired if the team didn't win tonight, reports Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter links). Spears also tweets that the Lakers are expected to release a statement in support of Brown, and pointed out that Brown has two more guaranteed seasons left on his four-year, $20MM deal.
- Dave McMenamin of ESPN LA tweets that Brown's job is not dependent on the result of Game 7 tonight, according to a source with knowledge of the Lakers' thinking.
- Brown said earlier today he was unfazed by what Johnson said, and had no indication there was any truth to it, tweeted NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper.
- Frank Isola of the New York Daily News scolds Knicks coach Mike Woodson for giving into owner James Dolan's wishes regarding his choice of agents.
- With Phil Jackson feeling better, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld speculates about where he might coach next if he returns to the bench, mentioning the Knicks, Thunder, Bulls, Mavs, Magic and Lakers.
- Rachel Shuster of USA Today wonders if the Bobcats might also be a landing spot for the Zen Master, since the owner is Michael Jordan, Jackson's first star pupil.
Odds & Ends: Rose, D’Antoni, Knicks, Nets, Lakers
We've got two games on the docket tonight, as the Sixers and Celtics kick off their second round series while the Lakers and Nuggets battle it out in Game 7. Here's a look at today's links..
- Derrick Rose underwent surgery on his left knee today, but projections for his return are varied, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune rounds up. Though Rose's brother insists Derrick will not miss the entire season, the Bulls released a statement today saying more details on his prognosis are coming next week.
- Though there has been speculation that Mike D'Antoni could be interested in the Magic if Stan Van Gundy doesn't return as the team's coach, he is just as likely to sit out the 2012/13 season, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Speaking of Knicks coaches, Mike Woodson is considering agent Steve Kauffman as well as CAA as he looks for new representation, according to Berman. Owner James Dolan never demanded Woodson part with former agent Joe Glass, but filled him in on the troubled history between the team and the agent. After hearing that, Woodson felt negotiations would be smoother without Glass.
- If the Nets do in fact plan to sign Andrei Kirilenko, they won't have much rebounding in their starting lineup with him alongside Brook Lopez and Gerald Wallace, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. Reports that the team had a verbal agreement in place for a three-year deal were shot down last week.
- Andrew Bynum could find himself playing elsewhere if the Lakers get bounced tonight and he doesn't have a strong performance, opines Stephen A. Smith of ESPN Radio (via Twitter).
- Meanwhile, Magic Johnson believes that Bynum, head coach Mike Brown, and Pau Gasol will all be run out of town if the Lakers lose, writes Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops.
Bulls Notes: Noah, Brewer, Boozer, Asik
Only twice in NBA history has the Eastern Conference's #8 seed defeated the #1 seed, and both instances occurred in lockout-shortened seasons. The eighth-seeded 76ers followed in the footsteps of the 1999 Knicks last night, knocking off the top-seeded Bulls to advance to the second round. Of course, against a Chicago team that was missing Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, the Sixers' victory didn't feel like a huge upset. Still, the East's top regular-season team has been eliminated and is looking ahead to the offseason. Here are the latest Bulls updates:
- Noah and Carlos Boozer insist that the Bulls can win as currently constructed and hope the roster remains intacts, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
- Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times writes that the Bulls, despite their devastating injuries, have created a hard-working identity that the city can, and should, embrace.
- GM Gar Forman and VP of basketball operations John Paxson told Ronnie Brewer that they'll do all they can to bring him back next season, tweets Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago. Brewer has one non-guaranteed year worth $4.37MM remaining on his contract.
- In a piece for ESPNChicago.com, Friedell writes that Carlos Boozer isn't a trade candidate since "no one wants to deal with that contract." Amnestying Boozer is also unlikely, says Friedell.
- SI.com's Zach Lowe takes a more in-depth look at why using the amnesty clause on Boozer doesn't make sense for Chicago unless corresponding moves are made.
- The Bulls will look to rebound next season, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, noting that the team plans to match offers for restricted free agent Omer Asik this summer.
- Sam Smith answers readers' Bulls-related questions in a massive mailbag for Bulls.com.
Odds & Ends: Blazers, Hibbert, Bulls, Farmar
Tonight we saw the 76ers and Celtics advance to the second round in a pair of closely-contested Game 6s. Here are some links from around the Association as we wait to see if the Lakers can put the Nuggets away in Denver..
- The Blazers hope to bring former first-round picks Joel Freeland and Victor Claver on to the roster for next season, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian.
- The Rockets could have interest in Pacers big man Roy Hibbert as he enters restricted free agency, writes Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. However, it seems that Indiana is prepared to match any offer that isn't unreasonable.
- When asked if the Bulls should keep their core in tact this summer, Joakim Noah responded, "I'm not the GM," tweets Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
- Nets guard Jordan Farmar wants to be a starter and wasn't terribly happy with his role last season, tweets Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. However, it's unlikely that Farmar will decline his $4.25MM player option.
- Most agree that the Pistons' main need in the draft is another big man to pair alongside center Greg Monroe, but team president Joe Dumars says that isn't neccessarily the case, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Ellis writes that it wouldn't be a shock to see Detroit tab a shooter like North Carolina's Harrison Barnes if they don't like any of the big men on the board.
- One Western Conference exec told Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter) that there is no way that Columbus will land an NBA franchise. Earlier today, we learned that the mayor of Columbus has informed David Stern that his city is interested in adding an NBA team.
Central Notes: Morway, Bucks, Hamilton, Hammond
There's plenty of news out of the Central Division today, with the Bulls on the brink of elimination against the Sixers while the Pacers are in command against the Magic. The latest updates are at the top:
- Pacers GM David Morway responded to Friday's news that the Blazers are interested in him for their GM position, telling The Oregonian's Jason Quick that he's "flattered" but "right now I'm focused on the playoffs and focused on our team.'' He could also be in line for a promotion in Indiana if president of basketball operations Larry Bird steps aside, but Morway said no interview has been scheduled with Portland and he'll evaluate his options at a later date. (All Twitter links).
- Though Forbes ranks the Bucks as the NBA's least valuable franchise, there's little reason to worry that Milwaukee will go down the same path as Seattle did with the Sonics, writes Michael Hunt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
- Richard Hamilton, who's strugged in three straight losses, hasn't been giving the Bulls what they expected when signed him before the season, as Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com writes.
- In a roundup of candidates for the Blazers GM job, Sam Amick of SI.com says multiple sources have told him the Bucks have denied GM John Hammond permission to interview for the position. Last month we heard about the mutual interest between Hammond and the Blazers, but Friday's joint press conference between Hammond and Bucks owner Herb Kohl seems to indicate that the Bucks will be keeping their GM.
- Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star sat down with commissioner David Stern to talk Pacers and other topics. Stern says he's not concerned about the team's lagging attendance, which ranked 26th in the regular season this year.
- John Paxson, vice president of basketball operations for the Bulls, recently underwent surgery to try to correct a heart arrhythmia, according to an ESPN.com report. Paxson said in a statement released by the team that the procedure has been planned for over a month. The news of his health trouble came out in comments made by Sixers coach Doug Collins after today's game.