Mavs Notes: Wright, Terry, Beaubois, Mayo
Last night, Dirk Nowitzki and the Mavericks spoiled Jason Terry‘s return to Dallas. Brandan Wright led the way with 23 points and eight boards while Nowitzki wasn’t far behind with 22. For Terry and the C’s, it was their fifth loss in seven games and they now find themselves closer to the No. 8 seed in the East and a first round date with Miami. Here’s more on the Mavs..
- Head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters, including the Associated Press, that the club won’t sign Chris Wright to a second 10-day contract. Wright averaged 15.5 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.3 rebounds per game for the D-League’s Iowa Energy.
- Terry has fond memories of his time in Dallas but isn’t hiding his disappointment in how it ended, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. The veteran was happy to get a call from C’s coach Doc Rivers as soon as he hit the open market, but he was surprised that Dallas didn’t make an effort to sign him.
- Rodrigue Beaubois is likely done for the season after undergoing surgery on his left hand, writes Brad Townsend of the The Dallas Morning News. The guard’s rookie contract expires after this season and the injury could mean that he has played his final game as a Maverick.
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban believes that O.J. Mayo can blossom into the type of player that Terry was for Dallas, writes Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com.
Western Notes: Lakers, Dirk, Clippers
Mike Trudell of Lakers.com writes that with the exception of Jordan Hill, the Lakers appear on the verge of being the healthiest they've been all season when Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol are expected return to the lineup on Friday. Though Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times noted that Kobe left practice early after his ankle stiffined during scrimmages, coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters after practice that the Lakers star will be ready tomorrow. We've got a few more links to share out of the Western Conference below:
- Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki briefly discussed his NBA future with Jeff Caplan of NBA.com. When asked about playing for three more seasons: "I’m not sure about all that. We’ll just have to wait and see…Hopefully I can finish this season strong and have a good summer like I basically did last year with a lot of lifting and running and hopefully not have a setback with a surgery. We’ll see how consistent I can be again next season."
- Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles says that the Clippers are still searching for an identity at this point in the season, mostly because of how their defense has regressed since their 17-game winning streak earlier in the year.
- John Reid of NOLA.com talks with Eric Gordon about being the Hornets' go-to-scorer, becoming familiar with his teammates this year after returning from his injury, and where he is in terms of his knee rehab.
- Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com takes a look at what has motivated Warriors All-Star David Lee throughout his career, including a fear of failure.
Mavs Notes: Deron Williams, Cap, Beaubois
Deron Williams finally returned to his hometown last night, playing at the American Airlines Center in Dallas for the first time since he turned down the Mavericks in favor of the Nets last summer. Although Brooklyn rolled to a 113-96 win, it's still too early to tell whether Williams and the Nets or Mark Cuban and the Mavericks will be the long-term winners of D-Will's free agent decision, writes Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. Here are a few more Mavs-related notes:
- Within Townsend's piece, Cuban notes that the Nets' current situation – well over the tax and still not quite a legit title contender – is one the Mavs wanted to avoid. "That’s the position we didn’t want to be in," Cuban said. "Not talking about any one player, but that’s why we were concerned in our approach because if you sign a max-out guy, well, you get to a point where you’re above that tax plus $4MM, you’re limited."
- The Mavericks announced yesterday in a press release that Rodrigue Beaubois underwent surgery on his left hand. With no timetable set for Beaubois' return, it appears he has played his last game of the season, and possibly his last game as a Maverick — the fourth-year guard is eligible for free agency this summer. The Mavs could make him a restricted FA by making him a qualifying offer, but I think the team will likely let him become unrestricted.
- Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney of SI.com examine the Western Conference's current lottery teams, answering a variety of questions about which teams have bright or dim futures. The Mavs earn a dishonorable mention from Mahoney, who says Dallas might have "the bleakest future relative to franchise expectations."
Latest On Andrew Bynum
As the Sixers announced yesterday in a press release, Andrew Bynum underwent bilateral arthroscopic surgery on both knees on Tuesday, effectively ending his season. The timeline for his recovery ensures he won't be off crutches until May, just weeks before he'll officially become a free agent. There likely won't be a more interesting case in free agency this summer than Bynum, who was once viewed as a lock for a maximum-salary contract, but is now considered a risk on more than a one-year deal. Here's the latest on the big man, who may never play a game for the Sixers:
- As Jason Wolf of the Courier-Post writes, the Sixers should receive about $6.76MM in salary relief from insurance on Bynum's contract this season. Rod Thorn indicated last week that the club was covered under the league-wide program, which sees the insurance company pay 80% of a disabled player's salary, following a 41-game waiting period. That means insurance will cover 80% of half of Bynum's $16,889,000 salary, for a total of $6,755,600.
- ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Insider link) spoke to a handful of executives, asking them what sort of deal they anticipate for Bynum this summer, and some were more bullish on the center's prospects than others. Said one exec: "I don't think the guy's going to make a ton of money this summer. He's sat out the whole year. He's not going to make the max. He was on his way to making that for sure. I'd say make him a one-year, partially guaranteed offer."
- Another exec polled by Broussard was more optimistic about Bynum's chances of getting the max for at least the first year: "I think you've got to do a two-year deal; really, a four-year deal…. I would max him the first year, give him the second year half-guaranteed. It'd be fully guaranteed if he plays a certain number of games. So in a four-year deal, the first year is 100% guaranteed; the second year is 50% guaranteed but if you play 60 games the second year, it's fully guaranteed. Same thing in the third year."
- The same exec said he could see the Rockets making an offer like that, but that Mark Cuban and the Mavericks would likely be reluctant to do such a deal.
Odds & Ends: Marshall, Knicks, Bynum, Williams
The Cavs put up a solid fight for a while there, but ultimately LeBron James and the Heat captured their 24th straight victory of the season. Cleveland got 20 points, seven boards, and four dimes from Wayne Ellington in a well-balanced effort and it was clear that they were powered by a raucous crowd. In fact, one fan decided to crash the court with a "We Miss You, LeBron" shirt in the middle of the game's action. Here's tonight's look around the Association..
- Suns rookie Kendall Marshall is starting to find his way in the league, writes Greg Esposito of NBA.com. Some wondered if Marshall would be a stronger point guard prospect than the Blazers' Damian Lillard at the time of the draft, but so far Lillard has shown to be far more NBA-ready.
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson says that if Rasheed Wallace and Kurt Thomas aren't close to being healthy as the playoffs get close, they may reconsider making a move, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- As planned, Sixers center Andrew Bynum underwent surgery on both of his knees today, according to a press release put out by the team. He'll begin physical therapy on March 22nd and won't be off of crutches until another six weeks after that. With that timeline, it seems that Bynum won't be ready to audition for clubs until later in the summer.
- Before tonight's game against the Nets, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban refused to get into Deron Williams and the events that led to the club missing out on him over the summer, tweets Roderick Boone of Newsday.
Free Agent Notes: Mayo, Kaman, Bynum, Howard
We're still a long way from the NBA offseason, but as teams are eliminated from playoff contention (and eventually the playoffs), we should start to hear more and more about their free agents. Here are a few links on some of the players that will be part of this summer's free agent crop:
- In his Tuesday chat session, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News says that O.J. Mayo can be the third best player on a legitimate title contender and that the Mavericks need to bring him back if they can get him at the right price. For Sefko, that price is somewhere under $10MM per year. He recommends something in the ballpark of a four-year, $30-35MM pact, though he admits that may not get it done for Mayo.
- Sefko also opines that Chris Kaman, a free agent at season's end, will likely sign elsewhere this offseason. One option to replace Kaman at center would be Andrew Bynum, who Sefko calls "double-damaged-goods" because of his balky knees. However, Sefko says the Mavs should still consider offering Bynum their mid-level exception because should he return to health, at his age, he could be then be the NBA's biggest bargain.
- With news of his knee surgeries, Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops has dropped Bynum to 13th on Free Agency Rankings. According to Hamilton, Bynum's talent makes him worthy of a multi-year deal, but anything more than three years is unlikely.
- Dwight Howard has fired his business manager and cousin, Kevin Samples, after nine years of service, Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register reports. Ding suggests that this move is another step in Howard's transformation into his "own man". Without Samples, who moved to Los Angeles when Howard joined the Lakers, Howard will presumably head into free agency looking elsewhere for advice.
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Sixers, Bynum, Acy
Over at Grantland.com, Zach Lowe checks in with the early favorite for the week's most interesting NBA piece, delving into the SportVU camera-tracking system and explaining how it's employed by the Raptors. I highly recommend checking out Lowe's story, which includes some fascinating details that, frankly, I'm surprised the Raps were willing to share publicly. Here are a few more notes from out of the Atlantic Division:
- Multiple NBA executives tell Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that they wouldn't be surprised if a "desperate" club offers Andrew Bynum a max contract this summer. Kennedy expects the Hawks, Mavericks, Rockets, and Trail Blazers to be among the interested teams (Twitter links). I'd imagine that the Sixers will at least have to kick the tires on re-signing Bynum as well.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld also looks ahead to Bynum's free agency in the wake of news that the big man will undergo season-ending surgery. According to one executive who spoke to Kyler, if Bynum is willing to agree to injury exclusions in his contract, teams likely won't hesitate to make him big offers. It remains to be seen whether Bynum would be more interested in a deal like that or a smaller offer made up entirely of guaranteed money.
- Although a report last week suggested that the Raptors would likely recall Quincy Acy from the D-League, Doug Smith of the Toronto Star says the team likes having Acy getting consistent playing time with the Bakersfield Jam. For now, there's no rush to bring him back to Toronto, where he'd receive limited minutes.
Southwest Rumors: Fisher, Mavs, Spurs, Davis
Mavs owner Mark Cuban took a sarcastic tone last month when discussing Derek Fisher's decision to sign with the Thunder a few months after securing his release from Dallas earlier this season, ostensibly so the veteran point guard could spend more time with his family. Last night, Cuban took a more direct swipe at Fisher, insinuating that he tried to deceive the Mavericks, as Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas chronicles.
"My personality is to try to help somebody, particularly somebody that I thought one thing about, even if it didn't turn out to be that way," the owner said. "So I was just trying to be nice and help. Usually when you help somebody, you expect at least some semblance of loyalty back. When you don't get it, then it's more disappointing. With his history, I shouldn't have been surprised what happened."
Fisher's exit from Dallas was the third time in his career that he's negotiated a premature end to one of his contracts, as MacMahon and Jeff Caplan of NBA.com point out. There's more news today on the Mavericks, as well as a couple of their Southwest Division rivals, and we'll round it up here:
- Caplan looks at the revolving door in the Mavs' backcourt this season, a group that lost another member last night when Rodrigue Beaubois broke his left hand, likely knocking him out for the season (Sulia link).
- David Aldridge's Morning Tip column at NBA.com has a heavy Southwest feel this week. Aldridge examines the state of the Spurs, chronicles the journey of Mavs' 10-day signee Chris Wright, who's dealing with multiple sclerosis, and catches up with No. 1 overall pick Anthony Davis for a Q&A.
- Davis spoke about leading Rookie of the Year candidate Damian Lillard in the interview with Aldridge, and Hornets coach Monty Williams believes it's helped Davis' development to have Lillard steal some of the spotlight this year, notes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune.
Odds & Ends: Redick, Kobe, Lottery Odds
J.J. Redick spent nearly six and a half seasons with the Magic before being dealt to the Bucks right before the trade deadline. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Redick says that he never felt any ill-will toward the Magic organization during the process and completely understands why they traded him: "Based on Arron (Afflalo) being there and who’s in the draft this year and where the Magic are likely to pick, there’s no way they would commit anything to me long-term — not just me, but just anybody in my situation. From a business standpoint, from a cap-building and rebuilding standpoint, it wouldn’t make sense. I get that. That’s fine."
You can find more of what we've gathered up from the Association tonight below:
- Mark Medina of the LA Daily News (via Twitter) provides a brief update of Lakers star Kobe Bryant's injury status, saying that his ankle sprain is considered serious enough to deem his return indefinite.
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets that the draft lottery odds will be affected on a nightly basis moving forward, as eight teams have between 22-24 wins. Most notably, those teams could be choosing as high as third or as low as tenth depending on how their season ends.
- Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW thinks that Brandan Wright's dependable play could very well make him a keeper for the Mavericks for the long-term.
- Marco Belinelli has relished his time in Chicago so far, and the Bulls shooting guard – once viewed as Kyle Korver's replacement as a perimeter shooter – has worked hard to remove the stereotype that he's just a one-dimensional player (Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports).
- Shaun Livingston has been the beneficiary of heavy playing time for Cavaliers coach Byron Scott, who has looked to the 6'7 point guard to fill in for the injured Kyrie Irving, observes Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel catches up with former Bucks forward Tobias Harris, who appears to be thriving in a significant role with the Magic.
- Perry Jones III credits the Thunder veterans for preparing him before he filled in for the injured Hasheem Thabeet on Friday, says Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK. Coach Scott Brooks made note of the rookie's eight-point, five rebound performance, and despite saying that there currently isn't any room in the rotation, the Baylor product has "a very bright future" with the team.
Stein’s Latest: Ibaka, Mavs, Bobby Brown, Raja Bell
After indulging in his love of soccer to make a cross-sport comparison of LeBron James and Lionel Messi, Marc Stein of ESPN.com delivers his usual assortment of juicy NBA rumors from around the league as part of his Weekend Dime. Here are the highlights:
- One NBA GM believes Serge Ibaka would have been worth a maximum-salary contract had he not signed a $49.4MM extension with the Thunder this past offseason. I took an early look this evening at some of this summer's rookie-scale extension candidates.
- The Mavs recently tried to free former NBA point guard Bobby Brown from his deal with Italian club Montepaschi Siena, but the potential buyout would have been too costly. Several teams have interest in Brown, 28, who's expected to return to the NBA next season. He's averaging 17.7 points and 4.4 assists this season in Italy.
- Raja Bell confirms, as we've heard, that he would have taken a buyout from the Jazz before the March 1st playoff eligibility deadline if he had an offer from another team already lined up, and that the Lakers' concerns about the luxury tax have precluded L.A. from signing him. He also said he's open to joining a team this season even though he wouldn't be eligible for the playoffs.
- Had the Nets held on to their first-round draft pick last year instead of trading it away in the Gerald Wallace deal, they likely would have passed on presumptive Rookie of the Year Damian Lillard in favor of Tyler Zeller, since they figured incumbent point guard Deron Williams would re-sign.
- Stein takes the Bulls to task for not making it clear that they're OK with Derrick Rose if he doesn't come back this season. Rose is angry that the perception that he's the only one holding up his return has been allowed to build. A source tells Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com that "a lot of people have to sign off" before he could come back.