Northwest Rumors: Blazers, Gallinari, ‘Melo
After the injured Russell Westbrook played his last game, the Thunder were tied with the Blazers atop the Northwest Division at 23-5. Since then, Oklahoma City has opened a four-game lead, even though Portland has been largely healthy. While the Blazers defense could use a boost if they’re to catch the Thunder, it’ll have to come from within, since coach Terry Stotts doesn’t expect the team will make any changes at the deadline, as he tells Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Here’s more from the Northwest:
- Danilo Gallinari tells Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post that he thinks he could have played on his surgically repaired left knee this season, but he says it wasn’t fully healed and he feared he’d shorten his career if he tried it out. He instead opted for another surgery that sidelines him for the season, but he expects to be ready for camp this fall.
- There’s no consensus around the league about who got the better end of the Carmelo Anthony trade nearly three years later, observes Fred Kerber of the New York Post. Some are withholding judgment until after the season, when the draft choice New York still owes the Nuggets could become this year’s No. 1 overall pick.
- The Thunder have assigned Andre Roberson to the D-League, the team announced. That makes it a half-dozen trips to the Tulsa 66ers for the rookie power forward, who’s still managed to start four games for the big club.
Western Notes: Kings, McGee, Mavs, Harris
Adam Silver traveled to Sacramento on Wednesday in his first trip as commissioner to check in on the Kings and their efforts to construct a new arena. Silver was effusive in expressing confidence that owner Vivek Ranadive and Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson will overcome arena opponents and have the arena ready in advance of a league-imposed 2017 deadline, notes USA Today’s Sam Amick. Here’s more from the West:
- There’s a chance JaVale McGee will miss the rest of the season with a stress fracture in his left leg that’s been slow to heal properly, sources tell Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. The Nuggets have already lost Danilo Gallinari and Nate Robinson for the year.
- The Mavericks are taking a patient approach and aren’t keen on making a splash at the deadline, and any trade they make will be small-scale, writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders. Their priority in any deal appears to be finding a big man or someone who can score, and Kyler mentions Spencer Hawes and Jordan Hill as possibilities. Hawes, for whom the Sixers are demanding a first-round pick, would represent a fairly significant acquisition, though Kyler may merely be speculating about any interest Dallas has in either of those players.
- The Lakers didn’t re-sign Manny Harris when his second 10-day contract expired this week, but they expect him to re-sign with their D-League affiliate if he doesn’t wind up with another NBA deal, according to Mike Trudell of Lakers.com. The shooting guard made quite an impression with 19 points in his final game before the Lakers let him go, and Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside examines his worth.
Odds & Ends: Gasol, Pelicans, Buyers/Sellers
Earlier today, we heard that the Suns’ interest in continuing talks with the Lakers about a potential Pau Gasol deal hinges on the 7’1 Spaniard’s recovery from a strained groin injury. With news from InsideSoCal.com’s Mark Medina that Gasol’s rehab will keep him out of action for at least another two weeks, this most likely creates another hurdle in trying to complete a potential deal.
Here’s plenty more from around the Association:
- Kevin Ding of the Bleacher Report (via Twitter) says that because of the injury, Gasol may or may not have played his final game for the Lakers. One certainty, however, is that the Lakers are now more motivated to deal him than before.
- The Pelicans have been “extremely active” in trade talks over the past few days, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. It’s unclear exactly what sort of deals they’re working on, but they announced last night that center Jason Smith is lost for the season, and they’ve reportedly been seeking a trade for a big man.
- Regardless of whether or not Andrew Bynum can produce for the Pacers, the decision to bring him aboard represents a pledge from team management to the players that they’re willing to do whatever it takes to win a championship, says Jared Zwerling of the Bleacher Report.
- In the same piece, Zwerling lists several teams who could be among the league’s buyers and sellers at the trade deadline this season, labeling the 76ers, Jazz, Bucks, Lakers and Bulls are potential sellers, while the Bobcats, Warriors, Knicks, Nets, Cavaliers, Wizards, Suns, Mavericks, and Pistons are potential buyers. According to one executive, the Timberwolves and Nuggets could fall into either group depending on what transpires in the next week or so.
- Cedevita of Croatia has waived Josh Selby after the former Grizzlies guard suffered an injury, tweets David Pick of Eurobasket.com. Selby played 10 games in the NBA last season.
- The NBDL’s Texas Legends’ close proximity to their NBA-affiliate Mavericks has made it easy for both to enjoy a highly active partnership as far as developing the Mavs’ young players, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. Frisco, Texas – where the Legends are based – is located about 30 miles north of downtown Dallas, conveniently allowing the Mavs an option to send someone to play for the Legends one night and then head back for NBA practice the next day.
- The 76ers announced that they’ve assigned big man Arnett Moultrie and guard Lorenzo Brown to the Delaware 87ers (Twitter link).
- The Hawks have sent guard Jared Cunningham to the Bakersfield Jam of the NBDL, according to a team press release earlier this afternoon.
- The Celtics announced that center Vitor Faverani was assigned to their D-League affiliate Maine Red Claws earlier today.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Northwest Notes: Miller, Harden, Jazz
Andre Miller‘s estrangement from the Nuggets has driven down his value, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Sources from around the league tell Deveney they believe the Timberwolves, who are eager to add a guard, and the Kings are the main contenders for Miller. If Miller is to suit up for the Nuggets again, he’ll have to approach them about the idea, since the team isn’t going to reach out to him, coach Brian Shaw says, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. Here’s more from the Northwest:
- James Harden wouldn’t tell Henry Abbott of ESPN.com whether he’d have signed with the Thunder if they had offered him the same max extension the Rockets did. Still, he says he could have envisioned a long-term future in OKC under the right circumstances, pointing to his strong relationship with his ex-teammates.
- The Jazz are unlikely to make a move before the deadline, unless a significant offer for Marvin Williams or Richard Jefferson emerges, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider only).
- The Thunder have assigned Andre Roberson to the D-League, the team announced via Twitter. Oklahoma City often shuttled a handful of players back and forth from the Tulsa 66ers last season, but Roberson is the only one they’ve sent down this year.
Odds & Ends: Exum, Nuggets, Cavs, Pistons
The return of Slovenian native Sasha Vujacic to the NBA today, on a 10-day contract with the Clippers, gives the league 93 players born outside the U.S., and they hail from a record 39 different countries, notes Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). The globalization of the game doesn’t figure to let up soon, as there’s news on the top overseas draft prospect amid today’s look around the NBA:
- Dante Exum wants to mimic Kobe Bryant‘s successful leap from high school to the pros, and that’s what led him to hire Bryant’s agent Rob Pelinka, the Australian point guard prospect tells Jon Tuxworth of The Canberra Times. Exum shares more about his decision to enter this year’s draft and his hopes for instant playing time once he’s in the league.
- The Nuggets, Cavs, Pistons and Grizzlies would all like to swing deals by the deadline, as TNT’s David Aldridge writes in his latest Morning Tip column for NBA.com.
- Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times categorizes nine Bulls trade candidates, and says the team won’t part with Taj Gibson unless it’s certain that a star player will sign with Chicago in free agency this summer. The Lakers, Wizards and Bobcats have reportedly inquired about Gibson.
- Raymond Felton has changed agents, dropping Tony Dutt of Dutt Sports Services Inc. to join Wasserman Media Group, as Liz Mullen of SportsBusiness Journal reports in a subscription-only piece. Thad Foucher and Makhtar N’Diaye will handle representation for Felton, who can’t opt out of his deal with the Knicks until the summer of 2015.
- Von Wafer has signed to play for Russia’s Krasny Oktyabr Volgograd, the team announced (translation via Sportando’s Enea Trapani). The six-year NBA veteran has also played in China and for the D-League’s Bakersfield Jam this season.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Melo, Durant, Nuggets
If the Heat fall to the Pacers because of the Andrew Bynum signing, then the Heat weren’t going to win the title anyway, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Bynum doesn’t figure to rise any higher in the Pacers rotation than the ninth or tenth man, and if that is the determining factor, then Miami has deeper issues with their roster than one player can change. Winderman believes the Heat tandem of Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen versus Roy Hibbert and Bynum should still be fine, as Andersen is a match for Bynum defensively. The Heat also tend to favor playing with smaller lineups, which won’t change their strategy against the Pacers.
More from around the league:
- LeBron James doesn’t have any insight on where Carmelo Anthony will play next season, writes Mitch Abramson of The New York Daily News. James said, “I don’t know (what he’s thinking). I’m a good friend of his but I don’t know what his mind is saying or what’s going through his mind. He loves to play basketball and just like the rest of us — we want to win. That’s the number one thing. When you do something your whole life you want to win at it and you want to work at it. You don’t want it to be easy but you want to give yourself an opportunity to win. But I don’t know what’s going through his mind.“
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post is the latest to weigh in on the possibility of Kevin Durant joining the Wizards in 2016. When Durant was asked about the possibility, he stated, “I don’t even want to think about that. I haven’t given it any thought, playing up here. I love Oklahoma City. I love coming here and visiting.” Whether or not he wants to give it any thought, it will be difficult not to if it’s a topic of conversation over the next two seasons.
- Gino Pilato of D-League Digest.com examines if Kevin Murphy is worthy of an NBA call-up. Murphy is currently with the Idaho Stampede, and is averaging 23.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 1.4 APG in 32.2 minutes. Before joining the Idaho Stampede this season, Murphy played in 11 games with the Reno Bighorns on a D-League assignment from the Jazz last year, where he averaged 13.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 1.6 APG. He didn’t make much of an impact during his time with the Jazz, playing in only 17 games, and averaging 0.9 PPG in 2012/2013.
- The Nuggets are at a crossroads this season. Do they tank for a better draft pick, or try to trade their way into a playoff berth? There is a third choice, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. The team could try and follow the Pacers model of building a contender according to Dempsey. That team parlayed shrewd drafting and smart role-player signings into being a championship caliber team. The Pacers avoided pursing big-name free agents, and Dempsey believes this is the most realistic path for the Nuggets to take. The Nuggets currently sit at 22-23, and are 3 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot. A number of injuries to key players will make it difficult for the current roster to make the playoffs. Denver has two first-rounders this year, but will have to ship the lower of the two to the Magic, either their own, or the Knicks‘ pick they obtained from the Carmelo Anthony deal.
Odds & Ends: Bynum, Silver, Boozer, Carmelo
News broke this morning that the Pacers officially signed Andrew Bynum to contract that covers the remainder of the season. The former All-Star didn’t find a fit in Cleveland, and a tweet from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reveals that part of Bynum’s frustration with the Cavs was aimed at Kyrie Irving. A source tells Amico that Bynum didn’t believe the team “knew how to win.” Here are a few tidbits from Saturday afternoon around the NBA:
- The Bleacher Report interviewed some notable NBA figures to get a bunch of interesting ideas they’d like to see new commissioner Adam Silver tackle, including raising the NBA draft age limit, getting a team in Seattle, and changing salary structures.
- Mike McGraw of The Daily Herald believes the Bulls will use the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer, but suggests that more of a shakeup will be needed to sign Carmelo Anthony. McGraw thinks the Bulls need to move Taj Gibson in order to create room for Anthony.
- Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post thinks Nate Robinson‘s season-ending ACL tear will have two definitive effects: the Nuggets will require a guard in return for Andre Miller (on the trading block), and Robinson will likely pick up his $2.1MM player option for next season rather than testing free agency before proving he’s back on the other side of surgery and rehab.
- Jodie Meeks tells Mark Medina of L.A. Daily News that he hopes he can stay with Lakers after this season: “I love it here and hope I can stay a long time.” He’s on the last year of a two-year, $3.05MM contract and is one of many Lakers that come off the books for next season.
- The Warriors announced in a press release that they’ve officially assigned MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore to the Santa Cruz Warriors. This confirms a report we passed along earlier this afternoon that said the duo would be heading to the D-League.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.
Nate Robinson Out For Season
Nuggets guard Nate Robinson underwent surgery for a torn ACL and will be out for the remainder of the season, according to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post (via Twitter). The diminutive guard suffered a left knee injury during Wednesday’s game against the Bobcats and was forced to exit early, but the injury wasn’t known to be quite this severe.
The Nuggets’ backcourt is now in disarray with Robinson done for the year, Ty Lawson sidelined thanks to shoulder trouble, and Andre Miller stuck in limbo. With Danilo Gallinari also done for the year, it’s hard to see the .500 Nuggets living up to the expectations set out for them at the beginning of the season.
With their backcourt seriously thinned out, it’ll be interesting to see how the Nuggets approach the trade deadline. At the very least, it would be surprising if Denver didn’t scope out the free agent market for a guard in the coming days.
Odds & Ends: Stern, Nuggets, Marshall
Agent David Falk believes outgoing commissioner David Stern has set the league up for long-lasting labor peace, as he tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
“I think the TV revenues are going to grow dramatically in the next agreement,” Falk said. “And it’s so damaging to the business of the NBA to shut it down. Personally, I think it was irresponsible for Billy [Hunter] to have allowed it to be shut down twice. The players lost $1.25 billion that they’ll never make up and they got nothing for it. And why would the owners shut it down? To get 5 percent more? The potential for where the league should be at the end of the current agreement is so high — if it’s done properly — that to be greedy to try to steal a few percent is foolish.”
Falk also told Berger that Stern said he envisioned drastic changes to the schedule and starting up a separate, NBA-caliber league in Europe or Asia when he took over as commissioner 30 years ago. None of that happened, of course, but Stern did get around to plenty during his tenure, which ends today. Here’s more from the league he helped mold:
- The Nuggets aren’t sure Nate Robinson will play again this season because of an ACL injury, notes Terry Frei of the Denver Post, who believes the team should turn to Andre Miller in his absense. The Nuggets are considering that, but it’s still unlikely that Miller will suit up for Denver again, writes fellow Post scribe Chris Dempsey.
- Kendall Marshall uses slights that date back to his recruitment to the University of North Carolina as motivation, and he finds it odd that so many were quick to label his NBA career a bust, as the Lakers point guard tells Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. “I’m 22 years old. I’m still evolving as a player,” Marshall said. “Look at a guy like Ty Lawson – he’s 26 and he’s still getting better. So much of this is about opportunity.”
- Scouts tell Chad Ford of ESPN.com that they continue to rank Marcus Smart as a better point guard prospect than Syracuse’s Tyler Ennis, but Ennis is nonetheless a fast riser, as Ford and Kevin Pelton examine in an Insider-only piece.
Nuggets Consider Activating Andre Miller
Nuggets coach Brian Shaw says he’ll consider bringing Andre Miller back to the team to compensate for injuries to Ty Lawson and Nate Robinson, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post (Twitter link). Shaw admits he and Miller still haven’t spoken since their run-in on the bench nearly a month ago, Dempsey also tweets.
Miller hasn’t appeared in a game since that heated argument with the coach, and the Nuggets have aggressively attempted to trade him to no avail. The durable Miller had been putting up the lowest numbers of his career in advance of his 38th birthday in March. GMs nonetheless see him as likely to be dealt, so part of the motivation to bring back Miller could be the hope of boosting his trade value. The Nuggets will make a game-time decision on Lawson’s status for Friday’s contest, as Dempsey notes via Twitter, so there’s certainly no guarantee that the team will call upon Miller.
The point guard is making $5MM this season, but only $2MM of his salary for next year is guaranteed, so he could be appealing for a team looking to clear cap space. When I examined Miller’s trade candidacy last week, I speculated that if the Nuggets are to trade him, they’re most likely to do so right at the deadline, when offers will be at their best. The notion that they’d bring him back indeed suggests that the team no longer is operating on an accelerated timetable to make a deal.