Western Notes: Wright, Burke, Griffin, Gasol
We already covered the East, now let’s check in on what is happening around the league out West tonight:
- Brandan Wright sustained a small, non-displaced fracture to his left shoulder that is unlikely to require surgery, the Mavericks announced today. Wright, who re-signed with the team in July, is entering his sixth year in the league and third with the Mavs. No timetable has been set for his return.
- Rookie point guard Trey Burke is concentrating on making a good impression on his opponents as the Jazz‘s preseason gets into full swing, writes Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune. Burke, who the Jazz took in June at No. 9, figures to run the point for a young but talented team in Utah.
- Blake Griffin suffered a bone bruise in his left knee in a Wednesday night scrimmage while attempting to dunk, writes Broderick Turner of the L.A. Times. Griffin’s precautionary MRI showed no structural damage, reports Turner, but the All-Star forward is still likely to miss an undisclosed amount of practice and preseason time.
- If Pau Gasol, more physically and mentally ready than he’s been in years, has the type of season he expects to have in Los Angeles, he believes the Lakers will want to re-sign him in the offseason, writes Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News. However, Gasol is unlikely to be willing to accept a significant pay cut to stay in the purple and gold, per Medina. Gasol will make $19.3MM this year.
Western Rumors: Kobe, Jazz, Bledsoe, Spurs
Earlier today, Kobe Bryant addressed reporters at the Lakers‘ practice facility and fielded a number of queries, but wouldn’t answer the million dollar question. “I didn’t say anything,” Bryant said when asked about a potential timetable for returning, according to Lakers.com. “I just keep it all open right now. I don’t’ know why you guys are so hell bent on timelines. When I’m ready, I’m ready.” More out of the West…
- The Jazz have to cut their roster down to 15 players before the start of the season, but there are no signs of that coming just yet, writes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. There are 20 players on the roster currently, but Marvin Williams (Achilles’ heel) and Brandon Rush (knee) are recovering from surgeries.
- Eric Bledsoe has matured since his rookie year and he’s ready to shine as a main player for the Suns, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Bledsoe came to Phoenix in the three-team deal with the Clippers and Bucks that sent J.J. Redick to L.A.
- Spurs coach Gregg Popovich endorses European coaches making the transition over to the NBA, but Dan McCarney of the Express News wonders when that will become a reality. Ettore Messina is among several qualified coaches waiting for their chance in the NBA, but the Italian doesn’t believe that offer will come anytime soon.
- Former Mavericks forward and free agent Lamar Odom pleaded not guilty to DUI charges, according to the Associated Press. Odom, who was said to be dealing with a drug problem and other issues, seems pretty far from another NBA run.
Traded 2014 First Round Picks To Watch
As we saw in 2011 when the draft pick acquired from the Clippers by the Cavaliers ended up landing first overall, trading unprotected first-round picks is a risky proposition for NBA teams. That would explain why, heading into the 2013/14 season, only three ’14 first-round picks have been traded without protection, all by veteran teams expected to have strong years.
The Knicks’ first-round pick will be sent to the Nuggets, as part of New York’s debt from the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster. However, if the Knicks’ pick is less favorable than Denver’s own pick, the Nuggets will pass it along to Orlando, as part of last summer’s four-team Dwight Howard trade. Otherwise, the Magic will receive Denver’s pick.
The Warriors’ first-round pick will head to Utah, one of several picks Golden State sent to the Jazz in the cap-clearing summer deal that saw Andre Iguodala land with the Warriors.
The other unprotected first-rounder will come from the Nets, who agreed to send their pick to Boston in this offseason’s acquisition of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. As part of 2012’s Joe Johnson swap though, the Hawks have the opportunity to swap their own first-round pick with the Nets’ pick, leaving the Celtics with the lesser pick of the two. So if the Nets disappoint this season, it will be the Hawks, rather than the C’s, who benefit most.
Nine other teams have agreed to give up their respective 2014 first-round picks in certain scenarios, but given the protection on these picks, only a handful will actually change hands next summer. We’ll be keeping an eye on the standings all season to monitor whether or not these traded picks will fall under protection, but here’s an early look at the situations to watch this season:
Team: Charlotte Bobcats
Will be sent to: Chicago Bulls
Protection: 1-10
Forecast: Despite the addition of Al Jefferson, the Bobcats still likely project as a lottery team, meaning this pick has a good chance to stay put. That could be good news for the Bulls, since we continue to inch closer to 2016, when this pick will become unprotected.
Team: Dallas Mavericks
Will be sent to: Oklahoma City Thunder
Protection: 1-20
Forecast: Mark Cuban and the Mavs are optimistic about the new-look roster, but I’m skeptical that Dallas is a top-ten team. This pick will probably stay with Dallas.
Team: Detroit Pistons
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-8
Forecast: If the Pistons were to finish as a bottom-eight team, I expect there’d be some jobs opening up in Detroit in 2014, given the expectations for the club. I have the Pistons penciled in as a low playoff seed in the East, so this pick should be ticketed for Charlotte.
Team: Indiana Pacers
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: While the Heat may be the No. 1 seed in the East again, the Pacers shouldn’t be too far behind them. As such, this pick will likely land in the mid-20s and be shipped to Phoenix.
Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-13
Forecast: If the T-Wolves can avoid the injury problems that plagued them last season, they should be a playoff contender. The West will be competitive though, so there are no guarantees either way on this one.
Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Will be sent to: Philadelphia 76ers
Protection: 1-5
Forecast: I’m not bullish on the Pelicans’ postseason chances for 2013/14, but the offseason upgrades, along with continued development from Anthony Davis, should ensure that New Orleans isn’t a bottom-five team. The result could be a pair of lottery picks for the Sixers.
Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Will be sent to: Miami Heat
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: Speaking of those Sixers, it would be truly be a shocker if their own first-rounder changed hands next summer. Many pundits don’t expect the Sixers to win 20 games, let alone earn a playoff spot.
Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: Like the Wolves, the Blazers expect to be in contention for the postseason, but again, it won’t be easy in the West. This is another pick I could see going either way.
Team: Sacramento Kings
Will be sent to: Cleveland Cavaliers
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: The Kings are entering the season with playoff aspirations as well, but their odds are significantly lower, in my view, than the Wolves’ or Blazers’. I expect we’ll see Sacramento keep this pick.
RealGM.com was used in the creation of this post.
Mavericks Notes: Calderon, Melo, Free Agents
A few notes about the Mavericks:
- Former Celtics center Fab Melo is excited for his fresh start with the Mavericks, writes the Star-Telegram’s Dwain Price.
- Mark Cuban has long held the belief that acquiring a player in a contract year is smart business because he’ll be looking to give maximum effort in his attempt at locking up a long-term deal. But this season the Mavericks decided to go a different route, signing Monta Ellis, Jose Calderon, and others to multi-year deals, writes Dallas Morning News reporter Eddie Sefko.
- According to The Dallas Mornings News’ Eddie Sefko, point guard Jose Calderon will be held out of the preseason’s next two games as he deals with a strained hamstring. Calderon has yet to play a minute with the team. With several incoming players in their backcourt, it’ll be interesting to see if any new faces can take advantage of an increase in playing time—perhaps enough so to make the team.
Texas Notes: Mavs, Spurs, Mekel, Joseph
Last week, Rockets owner Leslie Alexander made it clear that Chandler Parsons is very much in the club’s plans for years to come. “He’ll be here. We’ll sign Chandler. We always do. Nobody’s ever left. He’s an integral part of the team. We don’t want to let a terrific player go,” the owner said. Here’s a look at tonight’s news on the Lone Star State’s other teams..
- Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle was without Jose Calderon, Devin Harris, and Shane Larkin for tonight’s preseason game and had to turn to Israeli import Gal Mekel at point guard. Carlisle says that he’ll be looking to see if Mekel will sink or swim, writes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News.
- Mekel also got some good-natured ribbing from owner Mark Cuban, tweets Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. “Is (Gal Mekel) starting tonight? Oh good. Good for him. I guess we don’t have anybody else left,’’ said the owner.
- It’s not quite a make-or-break season for Spurs reserve guard Cory Joseph, but it is a critical one for his future in San Antonio, writes Dan McCarney of the Express News. There’s a strong possibility that the Spurs will exercise his fourth season option in the coming weeks, but the club would like to see him take a serious step forward this year.
- New Mavericks guard Monta Ellis can score, pass, and rebound, but the real question is whether he can win, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
Western Notes: Henry, Wolves, Jazz, Melo
We’ve heard players like Omer Asik and Marcin Gortat mentioned repeatedly as possible trade candidates for the coming season, and both players earn a spot on Sam Smith‘s list of 10 players most likely to be traded at Bulls.com. Smith also includes a few surprises among his 10 names though, including a pair of power forwards on Western Conference playoff teams: Zach Randolph and David Lee. I’d be surprised to see either player go anywhere, but as we saw a year ago with James Harden and the Thunder, contending teams aren’t always averse to moving key players.
Here are a few more Monday items out of the West:
- Asked if Xavier Henry‘s play this fall is solidifying his spot on the regular season roster, Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni told reporters, including John Ireland and Kevin Ding of Bleacher Report (Twitter link), “I would think so.”
- With CSKA Moscow set to play an exhibition game against the Timberwolves tonight, Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities notes that a couple players on the Russian squad – Milos Teodosic and Sonny Weems – could interest the T-Wolves, or have been pursued by the team in the past (Twitter links).
- Gordon Hayward and Derrick Favors are both eligible for contract extensions this month, but the Jazz don’t necessarily have to treat them equally, writes Kurt Kragthorpe of the Salt Lake Tribune. In Kragthorpe’s opinion, Utah should extend Hayward now and wait on Favors.
- It’s not clear if Fab Melo will earn a roster spot with the Mavericks, but the young center doesn’t sound unhappy to be out of Boston. Melo tells Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that the Celtics “didn’t give [him] a chance” last season, “even in practice” (Twitter link).
Odds & Ends: Jazz, Draft, Karl, Ledo, Weems
If the Jazz are going to roll with a third point guard this season, it’ll be either Scott Machado or Lester Hudson, writes Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune. Gordon Hayward and Alec Burks could conceivably bring the ball up the floor, but it sounds like Utah would prefer to have another cushion at the one-guard position. “It’s always better to have a third point guard,” coach Tyrone Corbin said. “A guy gets hurt, a guy gets sick … If it’s for an extended period of time, having that third point guard gives you a luxury.” Here’s more from around the Association..
- Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv spoke with an NBA GM about the 2014 Draft. The GM feels that even though it’ll be a two-player race between Andrew Wiggins and Julius Randle, no one will have the fortitude to pick Randle over Wiggins, even if he outperforms him.
- George Karl says the 2012/13 was the most fun he’s ever had in coaching, so he’d like to return to the bench, even though the former Nuggets boss acknowledges to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that he may not get another chance. “If that doesn’t happen, I think I can be OK with it,” Karl said. “I’ve had a great career and I think I’m healthy enough and energized enough to go another four or five years, and hopefully someone else out there will think the same thing.”
- Rick Carlisle is high on second-round pick Ricky Ledo, but the Mavs coach hinted that Ledo will probably spend time on assignment to the D-League this year, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram passes along.
- Sonny Weems, who will play in Russia this season, still has his eye on an NBA deal, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
Odds & Ends: Wizards, Karasev, Sixers, West
Wizards GM Ernie Grunfeld and coach Randy Wittman are both on expiring deals, and owner Ted Leonsis wants the team to show improvement this year, notes Benjamin Standig of The Associated Press.
"I expect us to be a playoff-caliber team," Leonsis said. "I think our fan base expects that too and that's the pressure I've placed on our organization, that we have to meet the expectations of our fans — and it's time."
Leonsis also said that he believes upgrades to the team's facilities will help the Wizards attract free agents in future offseasons. While Washington strives to leave the lottery behind, here's more from around the Association:
- The Cavs were sold on Sergey Karasev before the draft, and they tried unsuccessfully to trade up from the 19th pick this June, thinking it was necessary to land him, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Instead, Karasev fell to Cleveland at No. 19, and Lloyd believes that the Cavs' claim that they were surprised he dropped so low — an oft-repeated refrain about NBA draftees — rings true.
- The Sixers' decision to keep Royce White at home for their trip to Europe raised a few eyebrows, but he's not the only player the team left off the plane, notes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- The pressure's on Delonte West to produce in China after he did little to woo NBA teams during his D-League stint last season, opines Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside.
- The Suns have 16 players on fully guaranteed deals and Dionte Christmas on a partially guaranteed contract, so it's no shock that coach Jeff Hornacek says it won't be easy for the team to decide on the opening-night roster. Matt Petersen of Suns.com provides details.
- The market squeezed plenty of productive veterans into bargain deals this summer, and Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com names six whom he thinks will be particularly valuable.
- Mavs camp invitee Renaldo Balkman is trying to overcome the stigma of the violent outburst that led a league in the Philippines to ban him, as Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News examines.
Southwest Rumors: Carter, Howard, Pelicans
The latest news out of the Southwest Division..
- Even though Vince Carter is closing in on his 37th birthday and is in the final year of his contract, he doesn't plan on retiring anytime soon, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. He won't talk about a timetable, but he says that his body is telling him he's got a few years of basketball left in him. Carter averaged 13.4 PPG last season off of the bench in just 26 minutes per night.
- Dwight Howard spoke to Howard Beck of Bleacher Report about the importance of coach Kevin McHale in his free agent decision. "I feel like me and Kevin just have a special relationship already, from just the first time we’ve talked until now," the Rockets center said. "He said he watched almost all my games. It was just a shock. You got Kevin McHale, one of the greatest players to play the game, our coach, dissecting my game and all my tapes."
- The Pelicans have an unprecedented amount of depth this season, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune. Point guard Jrue Holiday says the 2011/12 Sixers are the only team he can remember being on with similar strength off the bench. "I think our first team, and our second team, if that's what you want to call it, are starters," Holiday said. "They're just as good as the first team. That definitely makes practice more competitive. It makes the starters better and the second team better, too."
Texas Notes: Parsons, Alexander, Mavericks
Without a doubt, Chandler Parsons proved to be one of the most intriguing young talents in the NBA last season, averaging 15.5 PPG, 5.3 RPG, and 3.5 APG while shooting .486/.385/.729 across the board. Not to mention that the 6'9 forward is set to earn around $925K this year and is entering the third season of a four-year contract in Houston. Any team with hopes of landing the precocious neophyte via free agency may not have that chance, as Rockets owner Leslie Alexander was clear about his long-term commitment to Parsons:
"He'll be here. We'll sign Chandler. We always do. Nobody's ever left. He's an integral part of the team. We don't want to let a terrific player go" (Mark Berman of FOX 26)
Here's more news and notes to pass along out of the Lone Star State tonight, including more from Berman:
- The Rockets' interest in keeping Parsons around for a long time is clearly mutual, based on Parsons' reaction to Alexander's comments: "I know at the end of the day it's a business, but when you have someone's word like that and you're happy here and you got a good thing going, I don't see this changing. I want to be here. So it's a good match."
- With a history that includes bringing in Clyde Drexler, Charles Barkley, Scottie Pippen, and Tracy McGrady to Houston, Alexander says that Dwight Howard has been "most important acquisition."
- Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW thinks it'll be a miracle if the Mavericks approach 50 wins this season, instead offering 44-45 wins as a more realistic number.
- Though the Mavs have 15 players signed to guaranteed contracts, head coach Rick Carlisle took notice of training camp invitee Renaldo Balkman: "He avoids the catastrophic mistakes some younger guys tend to struggle with" (Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram via Twitter).
- In this video from Spurs.com, Manu Ginobili speaks to the media about holding training camp at the Air Force Academy, which just so happens to be head coach Gregg Popovich's alma mater.
- In another clip from the Spurs' team website, Marco Belinelli briefly comments about camp and says that his experiences with coach Tom Thibodeau in Chicago has helped him adapt to coach Popovich's expectations thus far.