Berger On Lakers, White, Thunder, Fisher
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com has a new column dealing with several high-profile topics from around the NBA. Here are the highlights:
- Berger writes that if the Lakers choose to trade Pau Gasol, they should look for wing defenders and bench depth.
- The Rockets and Royce White appear to be making progress in working through the issues that have prevented the rookie from seeing playing time. Berger reports that White has begun seeing the therapist the team assigned to him to assist with his anxiety disorder.
- Kevin Martin is having a fantastic season for the Thunder, who Berger believes have been vindicated for their decision to trade James Harden.
- Thunder guard Russell Westbrook praised the Mavericks' signing of Derek Fisher, citing the veteran point guard's impact on the Oklahoma City locker room last season.
Odds & Ends: Odom, Allen, Carroll, Mavs, Moultrie
Lamar Odom, preparing to face the Mavericks on Wednesday for the first time since they traded him to the Clippers, called his season in Dallas "a blur," as Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times documents. "Sometimes we make pit stops in some places," Odom said. "I remember the people and the city. Basketball just wasn't there for me at that time." Odom added that he has no hard feelings for owner Mark Cuban, and spoke highly of the Mavs to former teammate Derek Fisher after the point guard signed with Dallas last week. If the reunion of Odom and the Mavs along with the rest of tomorrow's slate can live up to the drama of tonight's six-game schedule, we're in for a treat. Here's more from around the Association.
- The Heat have gotten plenty of return on their investment in Ray Allen, as he's fit in seamlessly as a complement at shooting guard to Dwyane Wade, who tells Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today that he was always on board with the signing and never concerned that Allen would take his minutes.
- Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune chronicles the arduous journey DeMarre Carroll took to becoming a valuable part of the Jazz rotation on a minimum-salary deal.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News chatted with readers to discuss the ripple effect of the Fisher signing and the possibility of trades involving the Mavericks.
- Sixers coach Doug Collins and GM Tony DiLeo will meet to determine the best time to send this year's 27th overall pick, Arnett Moultrie, to the D-League, as Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com notes.
- Ben Golliver and Rob Mahoney of SI.com delve into several reasons why the Cavs shouldn't trade Anderson Varejao, and offer up some trade ideas that would offer fair value to Cleveland if the team were to pull the trigger.
Amico On Thunder, Burks, Varejao, Fisher
At the quarter-mark of the year, Sam Amico of FOXSports.com offers up his rookie review. The Blazers' Damian Lillard is proving that big talent can come out of small schools and figures to be a top candidate for the Rookie Of The Year award. Fourth-overall pick Dion Waiters has been streaky from the outside but has been extremely impressive at times for the Cavaliers. Not every rookie is off to a hot start, however, as Thomas Robinson of the Kings is struggling along with the rest of his team. More from today's column..
- The Thunder are loaded with young players that aren't getting a ton of burn and are also loaded with draft picks, making them very attractive trade partners. However, Sam Presti & Co. have no interest in making a trade at this time since the team is playing well, according to a team source. Oklahoma City is tied with the Spurs for the second-best record in the West (14-4) as they get set to face the Nets (11-5) tomorrow night.
- If the Jazz placed Alec Burks on the trading block, it seems he’s played his way off of it. Utah's injuries have given the second-year shooting guard increased minutes and he has made the most of them. Burks was said to be available in a trade roughly two weeks ago.
- Despite the insistence of some that the Cavaliers should trade center Anderson Varejao while his value his high, it's not likely that Cleveland will move him. The big man is off to a career start, but non-contenders with assets don’t want to trade them at this point and most contenders don’t have the assets – save for the aforementioned Thunder. More than 70% of Hoops Rumors readers said yesterday that the Cavs should trade Varejao.
- Veteran guard Derek Fisher made a positive impression in his Mavericks debut over the weekend. “Fisher solidifies the (second) unit, he keeps us tight and he’s a proven veteran,” said forward Elton Brand.
Southwest Notes: Popovich, Cuban, Collison, Hornets
The latest news and notes from the Southwest Division on Sunday afternoon:
- Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News wonders whether Spurs coach Gregg Popovich cost himself the opportunity to coach Team USA at the 2016 Olympics with his controversial decision to rest several starters on Thursday.
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tells Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com that he understands the NBA's decision to fine the Spurs, although he may have done the same thing in Popovich's shoes.
- Darren Collison, on the last year of his rookie-scale contract, doesn't think he got a fair shot at starting for the Mavs, writes Jeff Caplan of NBA.com, but Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News thinks the numbers support coach Rick Carlisle's decision to go with newly acquired Derek Fisher as the starter.
- Hornets forward Jason Smith tells John Reid of the Times-Picayune that it is the responsibility of the veteran players to set an example for younger players on the struggling team.
- Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune writes that the Hornets so far are failing to deliver on their promise of a brighter future.
Southwest Notes: Popovich, Fisher, Murphy
Some notes from around the NBA's Southwest Division.
- In his first public statement since his team was fined $250K by the league, Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich said he was "disappointed" with the NBA's decision, according to the Associated Press.
- Mark Cuban said waiving Troy Murphy wasn't because Murphy wasn't playing well, according to a tweet from NBA.com's Earl K. Sneed.
- Star-Telegram.com's Dwain Price writes that Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle will find a way to use Derek Fisher.
Western Rumors: Dwight, Fisher, Mavs, Marshall
It was a whirlwind first month of the season for the Lakers, but nothing has changed Dwight Howard's affection for L.A., tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. "From 1 to 10, I'd give it a good 12," Howard said. "I love it. It's been a lot of fun. Just everything here." Still, unless Howard signs an extension during the season, which is unlikely, the big man's answer about whether he likes his surroundings only really matters next summer, when he's due to hit free agency. While await that, here's more news out of the Western Conference.
- Among other NBA news in his Weekend Dime, Marc Stein of ESPN.com passes along that Derek Fisher will be making a prorated minimum salary with the Mavericks.
- The Mavs have serious rebounding problems, and the team's release of Troy Murphy in favor of Fisher this week doesn't help matters, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- Suns GM Lance Blanks insists the team's assignment of Kendall Marshall to the D-League this week is not an indictment of the rookie point guard, notes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. "There’s nothing negative about developing and having a team that supports you," Blanks said. "It’s been really cool to watch his maturation from college to summer league to the pros. We’re just as excited as the day we drafted him."
- Gordon Hayward recently lost his starting job, and the timing is poor, since he'll be up for an extension to his rookie-scale contract with the Jazz this summer. Still, he's not making any fuss about his new role, as Susan Bible of HoopsWorld documents.
- The Thunder gave Scott Brooks a four-year extension this summer, but Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM.com wonders if he's the right coach for the team, taking him to task in particular for his over-reliance on amnesty candidate Kendrick Perkins.
Western Notes: Gasol, Lillard, Williams, Mavs
The latest news and notes around the Western Conference on Friday evening:
- Robert Silverman of the New York Times wonders what sort of return the Lakers could get if they decided to trade Pau Gasol.
- Nicole Auerbach of USA Today has a feature on Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard and the impact he is having on other players hoping to make it to the NBA from mid-major schools.
- HoopsWorld.com's Bill Ingram thinks it's too early for the Timberwolves to give up on Derrick Williams.
- Ingram also thinks the Mavericks will be able to get a couple more high-level seasons out of Dirk Nowitzki.
- John Reid of the Times-Picayune writes that Hornets coach Monty Williams is urging guard Brian Roberts to shoot more.
Odds & Ends: Spurs, Varejao, Draft, Fisher
Earlier today, I asked Hoops Rumors readers whether Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was in the wrong for sending his star players home before last night's game against the Heat. Over 83% of respondents so far have sided with Popovich rather than with commissioner David Stern, who called Pop's decision "unacceptable." Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports agrees with you in his take on the subject, calling Stern's statement a "temper tantrum that left everyone around him embarrassed, humiliated and wondering why he insisted on staying until February of 2014."
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA as we prepare for the weekend:
- While Anderson Varejao has been a popular topic of trade speculation lately, the Cavaliers have no plans to move him, writes Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio. In any case, most teams who would be interested in Varejao don't have the assets to acquire him or aren't willing to part with them, says Amico.
- In his latest draft blog at ESPN.com (Insider only), Chad Ford examines a few players whose stocks have slipped early in the season, including UNC's James Michael McAdoo and Tony Mitchell of North Texas.
- A pair of Dallas Morning News scribes offer up opposing takes on the Mavericks' signing of Derek Fisher, with Eddie Sefko noting that signing Fisher as a starter will make the team's bench stronger, while Kevin Sherrington says it's a patchwork move in another year "about nothing."
- Within Sam Smith's latest mailbag for Bulls.com, he writes that Carlos Boozer "basically cannot be traded" unless it's for a contract that's as bad or worse than his.
- NBA.com's Fran Blinebury wonders if it would be in the Trail Blazers' best interests to consider trading LaMarcus Aldridge this season.
Western Notes: Spurs, Fisher, Gasol, Crawford
You can count NBA commissioner David Stern among those who are none-too-pleased about Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's decision to rest his stars against the Heat tonight. Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida relayed a statement by Stern which indicated that "substantial sanctions will be forthcoming" as a consequence for San Antonio (Sulia link). Earlier, Popovich told reporters: "It has nothing to do with the Miami Heat, or TV, or anything…You deal with the schedule as best you can and do the wisest thing for your particular team” (Jeff McDonald of Spurs Nation reports). On another note, here's what we're hearing out of the Western Conference tonight:
- Later in his column, Ken Berger of CBS Sports credits a source that says Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni would like to have Nate McMillan as his top assistant for the 2013-14 season if he isn't given a head coaching job by then.
- Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets writes that if injury-riddled Houston isn't able to get well anytime soon, then "different remedies will be in order." While it may not explicitly imply a roster move, Feigen acknowledges that without Chandler Parsons and Carlos Delfino, the team is short-handed on the wings.
- With Brandon Roy and Chase Budinger out, as well as Andrei Kirilenko dealing with back spasms, Timberwolves forward Josh Howard finds himself thrust into the starting lineup yesterday against the Clippers. Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune notes that Howard still considers himself in training camp but remains confident about handling the opportunty for more playing time.
- With the Thunder going 6-1 over their last seven games, Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK recognizes Russell Westbrook's passing ability as a major component of the team's recent success.
- While head coach Rick Carlisle doesn't see the Derek Fisher signing as a "cure-all" to the Mavericks' challenges, he welcomes the 38-year-old veteran's experience and leadership abilities at the point guard position, writes Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com.
- Mike Trudell of Lakers.com writes about the adjustments that Pau Gasol has had to make on both ends of the floor, particularly on defense, where the power forward position in the NBA can provide significantly different types of matchups for the Lakers depending on their opposition.
- Clippers guard Jamal Crawford talks to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld about having a career year for a team expected to be a playoff contender.
- Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com briefly sheds light on rookie Quincy Miller and his opportunity with the Iowa Energy of the NBDL.
Mavs Sign Derek Fisher
THURSDAY, 2:39pm: Fisher is officially a Maverick, as the team announced today in a press release that it has signed the veteran point guard.
WEDNESDAY, 9:41pm: Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said the team will sign Derek Fisher tomorrow, reports Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com (Twitter link). The team has a full roster, with 15 players, and will have to release someone before the signing becomes official. Troy Murphy, who is presumed to be on a non-guaranteed deal, seems the best bet to go. It's not clear what the terms of Fisher's deal will be, but the Mavs have $1,974,509 of their room exception available after using part of it to sign second-round pick Jae Crowder this summer.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News reported earlier tonight that the team was looking for a veteran point guard, and the 38-year-old Fisher fits that description. Fisher had narrowed his choices to three teams, as we passed along earlier tonight. Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, who broke that news, noted that Fisher was seeking to sign with a contender, but the Mavs, at 7-9 following a blowout loss to the Bulls tonight, seem outside of the championship picture, even with the return of Dirk Nowitzki looming. It could be that he chose the Mavs because they could give him more than the minimum, but the difference between the amount they can pay him and the $1.352MM he would earn as a 16-year veteran is not great.
Sefko wrote 10 days ago that the Mavs weren't interested in Fisher, but Carlisle told TNT's David Aldridge that the Mavs have been eyeing Fisher for "a while" (Twitter link). Darren Collison, who was benched for last night's game against the Sixers, missed tonight's contest with a sprained middle finger, and while X-rays are negative, there's no word on when he'll return.
Now that Fisher is returning to the league, it presumably erases doubts about his ability to remain as president of the players union. Fisher has been under fire from the union's executive committee, which asked him to resign in April amid a feud between Fisher and executive director Billy Hunter.