Odds & Ends: Rose, Perkins, Smith
One interesting note about NCAA championship as it relates to the upcoming draft: The last time the winner had a player that would subsequently go on to become that year's number one pick was in 1988, when Danny Manning of the Kansas Jayhawks was selected first overall by the Clippers. With a win tomorrow, Kentucky's Anthony Davis (currently projected to go first among several draft boards) could have a chance at ending the 23-year streak.
Should Kentucky lose, Davis could join Derrick Rose, Greg Oden, Elton Brand, and Chris Webber as number one picks who had been on the runner-up team that season. With less than 24 hours until tip-off, here are a few interesting notes to think about from the basketball news wire:
- As per Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times, Derrick Rose's injury could be worse than initially thought.
- Kendrick Perkins' has had a profound impact on Russell Westbrook this season and can be credited for the young guard's further emergence as a special player, writes Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK.
- In an exclusive interview with Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype.com, Kenny Smith indicated that he feels he'll "inevitably be coaching someday."
- Tom Reed of The Plain Dealer provides a more in-depth look at Donald Sloan, the Cavaliers reserve guard who has begun to find minutes under Byron Scott.
- According to Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel, Bucks forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. believes that teammates' trust in each other will be key in Milwaukee's pursuit of New York for the eight and final playoff spot.
- Mavericks guard Jason Terry is alarmed by Dallas' habit of falling behind in the third quarter, only to rally in the fourth but come up short, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram.
- The Toronto Sun's Richard Zussman gives a primer for tomorrow's NCAA Title game and what to expect.
Odds & Ends: Bulls, Davis, Pistons, Spurs
The Bulls are doing battle with the Thunder today in another possible Finals match-up. Chicago is once again without their best player, Derrick Rose. In an Insider piece on ESPN.com, Basketball-Reference's Neil Paine explains that despite the team experiencing recent success without Rose, they have no chance at winning a title if he doesn't play.
- Tim Griffin from Spurs Nation has a piece on San Antonio's probable decision to change their lineups as the playoffs grow near.
- ESPNNY.com's Ian Begley writes about the importance of Baron Davis now that Jeremy Lin will have knee surgery.
- Vincent Goodwill from The Detroit News thinks Joe Dumars needs to take the Pistons in a new direction.
- Since Ray Allen went down with an ankle injury, and Mickael Pietrus suffered a concussion, Avery Bradley's insertion in Boston's starting lineup has been a revelation for the team's playoff chances, writes The Sporting News' Sean Deveney.
- CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes poses an interesting question regarding a difficult decision Portland might have this offseason. With both J.J. Hickson and Nicolas Batum being restricted free agents, which one should the team set as a priority for keeping? For reference, here's a look at our list of 2012/13 free agents.
- The Sacramento Bee's Stephen Magagnini wrote a piece about the impact rookie Isaiah Thomas has had both on the court and in the community.
- The Indianapolis Star's Mike Wells writes about the relationship Pacers guard George Hill still shares with Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich. Also, Indiana head coach Frank Vogel talks about why he's decided it isn't worth it to rest his veterans despite the season's hectic schedule.
Odds & Ends: Smith, Kidd, Van Gundy, Thibodeau
Linkage from around the Association..
- Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld wonders if the teams that have yet to use the amensty provision will pull the trigger this summer and looks at some potential candidates.
- Hawks forward Josh Smith had some rough patches with Mike Woodson in Atlanta but says that he's happy for his former coach's success with the Knicks, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
- Sources close to Jason Kidd told Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that the guard wouldn't be opposed to staying with the Mavericks next season in a reduced role. Kidd also told Kennedy that he would someday like to become a general manager.
- More from Kennedy as a growing number of people within the Magic organization believe that Stan Van Gundy will quit after this season, mainly because he doesn’t want deal with the Dwight Howard circus again next season.
- ESPN's Chris Broussard (video link) could see former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni possibly landing with the Clippers and has also heard his name linked to the Wizards.
- Pacers guard George Hill says that he was emotional when he first learned of the trade that sent him from the Spurs to Indiana, writes Mike Monroe of the Express-News. Hill, 25, is averaging 9.4 points in 23.9 minutes per contest this season.
- The Bulls players hope to see coach Tom Thibodeau get the contract extension that he seeks, writes Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel thinks that the Heat should use their $3MM mid-level exception this summer to add a big man.
Stein On Wilson Chandler, Coaching Rumors
In his latest Weekend Dime, ESPN.com's Marc Stein says that Wilson Chandler's long-term deal with the Nuggets isn't worth quite as much as had been previously reported. According to Stein, the contract is for $31.7MM in total, starting at $5.5MM this season and topping out at $7.2MM in 2015/16. Only $2MM of that final season is guaranteed, Stein adds.
The rest of Stein's rumors this week revolve around coaching positions, so let's dive in….
- The Bulls hold a team option on Tom Thibodeau for next season, but the Chicago coach is "dismayed" that he hasn't been offered a lucrative contract extension, according to Stein. Stein hears that Thibodeau's displeasure with his contract situation is an "open secret in team circles."
- Mike Woodson is increasingly hopeful of keeping the Knicks coaching job, though if Phil Jackson expressed interest in the position, rival teams assume James Dolan would do whatever it takes to sign the Zen Master.
- The Clippers may be in the market for a new coach this summer, ideally one who could convince Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to remain in Los Angeles long-term.
- If Stan Van Gundy were to be replaced as the Magic coach, Nate McMillan appears to be the top candidate, says Stein.
- Stein spoke to "[John] Calipari experts," who suggested the Wildcats coach may not be inclined to give up his power and prestige at Kentucky to coach in the NBA.
Odds & Ends: Terry, Hill, Parker, Bulls
Let's round up a few Friday morning links….
- According to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, Jason Terry won't be willing to take a discount to stay with the Mavericks. Terry, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, would prefer to remain in Dallas, but at a fair market price, says Kyler. Terry said yesterday that he'd be interested in signing with the Heat this summer, so I wonder if the no-discount stance applies to them as well — as a taxpaying team, Miami couldn't make Terry a very significant offer.
- Suns forward Grant Hill will undergo minor knee surgery and could miss the rest of the regular season, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Retirement is becoming a distinct possibility for Anthony Parker, says Bob Finnan of The News-Herald. As he has said before, the veteran Cavalier will weigh his options, including retiring, at season's end: "It's not something I've decided on. Obviously, it will be decided after the season."
- In a mailbag for Bulls.com, Sam Smith fields readers' questions on Derrick Rose, Greg Oden, Joakim Noah, and more.
Lakers Notes: Bynum, Kupchak, Fisher
The Lakers lost just their fifth home game of the season last night, falling to the Thunder after a 17-point, third-quarter surge from Russell Westbrook. Derek Fisher and his new team will return to face the Lakers at the Staples Center once more before season's end, and if last night's game is any indication, the two squads could provide a pretty entertaining playoff matchup as well. Here's the latest buzz surrounding the Lakers:
- Andrew Bynum's misguided three-point attempt earlier this week was "only the tip of the iceberg," the latest in a "catalogue of items" that have annoyed Lakers' coaches and management, a team source tells Elliott Teaford of the Los Angeles Daily News.
- Speaking to Sam Amick of SI.com, GM Mitch Kupchak downplayed the drama surrounding Bynum's benching, saying the team will deal with any issues internally.
- Kupchak also said that he felt trading Derek Fisher was necessary for Ramon Sessions' sake: "Derek's an icon. You know [if you're Sessions] that you're walking past Derek and saying, 'I'm taking his minutes.' For a young developing player, that's really not fair to do. What if Ramon has a bad game at home, and the crowd starts to cheer for [Derek], you know what I mean? It's not right."
- Fisher had his own view on the trade that sent him to Houston, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. "I’ve always thought there are different ways to handle trades and waiver-type situations where there can be some more communication," Fisher said. "Not necessarily far in advance but enough not to have to find out from the mailman or at the post office that you’ve been traded."
- Fisher added that he received inquiries from five teams, including the Heat and Bulls, after he was bought out by the Rockets.
Odds & Ends: Clippers, Ewing, Bulls, Sixers
As the Wizards take on the Pacers in the first of four Thursday night games, let's take a look around the league to see what's happening from coast to coast.
- DeAndre Jordan has embraced the heightened expectations surrounding the Clippers and understands the resiliency needed to overcome setbacks such as a recent three-game losing streak, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Instead of letting the downturn ruin their season, the Clippers responded by winning three in a row.
- If Mike Woodson isn't the long-term answer for the Knicks, Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing wants to throw his name into the mix as the next head coach at Madison Square Garden, but may not have history on his side, says Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. As a 7-footer, Ewing would become only the seventh head coach in NBA history with a height of 6-foot-10 or taller.
- While much of the Bulls' success stems from stellar play by their stars, a growing phenomenon dubbed the 'Bench Mob' has aided in the team's success, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Taj Gibson and Omer Asik are among a group of Bulls bench players who have stepped up their play to help close out games.
- A major reason for the Sixers' strong season stems from their ability to beat lesser teams, writes Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The squad is 18-5 on the season against sub .500 teams, which currently places as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for the Sixers, an inability to beat quality teams may spell an early end to their season come playoff time.
Hinrich Wouldn’t Mind Return To Bulls
Hawks guard Kirk Hinrich will be an unrestricted free agent for the first time in his nine-year career this summer, and he's open to returning to the Bulls, where he spent his first seven seasons, writes K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
"I wouldn't be opposed to it," he said. "It's still a ways away, and a lot can happen. We'll see. I have no preconceived thoughts on what will happen."
Hinrich, 31 is on the last year of a five-year, $48.75MM deal he signed the Bulls before the traded him to the Wizards in 2010 to clear cap space for that year's heralded crop of free agents. The Wizards sent him to the Hawks at the trade deadline a year ago.
Johnson points out that Hinrich will have to take a pay cut to go back to Chicago, as the Bulls' commitments will put them over the cap and close to the luxury tax line next season. That would leave only cap exceptions or a minimum-salary deal at their disposal. Hinrich also said he's enjoyed his time with the Hawks, who possess his Bird rights and only have $60.9MM on next year's payroll.
The former Kansas standout is suffering through perhaps his worst season, putting up career lows in points (9.8) and assists (3.7) per 36 minutes. The Bulls have shown they have plenty of backcourt depth this season when Derrick Rose and Richard Hamilton have been sidelined by injury, but Rose, Hamilton and rookie swingman Jimmy Butler are the only guards whose contracts are fully guaranteed next year. Bringing back Hinrich is not a move the Bulls have a pressing need for, but if Hinrich is willing to make it happen at a bargain, they may take him up on that.
Injury Updates: Stoudemire, Hamilton, Gordon
With the season winding down, health and injury issues loom larger than ever. Teams with injured players may look to find reinforcements via 10-day contracts or rest-of-season deals, while free-agents-to-be with injury woes could see their stocks affected by their health problems. Here are a few Wednesday morning updates on a few such situations:
- The Knicks announced today that Amare Stoudemire will undergo non-surgical treatment on a bulging disk, and will miss two-to-four weeks (Twitter link). With Carmelo Anthony and Jeremy Lin also battling nagging injuries, New York could look to the D-League or free agency to add depth.
- Richard Hamilton is "very close" to returning for the Bulls and there's a chance he plays tonight, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. I'd imagine Mike James' contract status relies on Hamilton's health to some extent, though the Bulls have the roster space to bring James back for the rest of the season either way.
- The Hornets could have Eric Gordon back in their lineup in "a matter of days," writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. A centerpiece in the Chris Paul trade and a restricted free agent at season's end, Gordon has played just two games for New Orleans. A healthy final few weeks for him could make a significant impact on the contract he signs this summer.
Odds & Ends: Turiaf, Arenas, Lakers, Greene
Let's check in on a few Monday morning odds and ends from around the league….
- The player option included in Ronny Turiaf's deal with the Heat for next season is worth $1.2MM, reports Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com.
- This week's Morning Tip column from TNT's David Aldridge examines the Bulls and the Pacers, and includes an interview with Dwight Howard.
- Although the Lakers worked out Gilbert Arenas before the veteran guard signed with the Grizzlies, it doesn't sound like L.A. was ever close to adding him, as coach Mike Brown tells Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times: "Unless something gets real close or it might not even get close, I'm not always involved with the process. It never got to a point where they wanted my opinion on it or said we're not going to do it because of this or that."
- Facing free agency this summer, Kings forward Donte Greene just has a few more weeks to prove his value, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com fields questions on the Pistons' draft and free agent outlook in his latest mailbag.