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Eastern Notes: Iverson, Monroe, Bucks, Heat

October 17th, 2013 at 3:10pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Heat prepare to face the Nets for the first time since Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce headed to Brooklyn, LeBron James discussed the ex-Celtics who were critical of Ray Allen signing with Miami a year ago.

“I think the first thing I thought was ‘Wow, Ray got killed for leaving Boston and now these guys are leaving Boston,'” James said, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com. “I think it’s OK, I didn’t mind it. But there were a couple guys who basically (expletive) on Ray for leaving and now they’re leaving. That’s the nature of our business, man. I don’t know what Boston was going through at the end of the day. I know Ray had to make the best decision for him and his family and his career. Doc [Rivers], KG and Paul did that as well. You can’t criticize someone who does something that’s best for their family.”

As we look forward to a preseason matchup that could be an early preview of an Eastern Conference playoff series, let’s round up a few other items from around the East….

Confirming that Allen Iverson will indeed announce his retirement later this month, NBA.com’s David Aldridge reports that the former MVP may wind up taking a post-playing job with the Sixers.
Nothing has changed on the Greg Monroe front, according to Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, who writes that the Pistons and Monroe are still highly unlikely to reach an agreement on a long-term extension within the next couple weeks.
When it became clear that Brandon Jennings wasn’t interested in re-signing in Milwaukee, the Bucks got what they could for him, and according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a couple of those young players who came over in the deal with the Pistons are looking good so far this fall.
Even with Greg Oden suffering a setback and Chris Andersen dealing with a foot issue, the Heat aren’t likely to keep a player like Justin Hamilton on their roster, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel, pointing to Joel Anthony as the club’s insurance policy.

Knicks Notes: Carmelo, Woodson, Shumpert

October 17th, 2013 at 12:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The biggest NBA headline yesterday involved Carmelo Anthony, who told the New York Observer that he was looking forward to testing free agency, strongly implying that he’d turn down his player option for 2014/15 and hit the open market next summer. Anthony spoke to the media today about those comments, so let’s round up today’s highlights related to Carmelo and the rest of the Knicks…

While Anthony acknowledged that there’s a good chance he opts out next summer, he told reporters, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com, that it doesn’t mean he plans to leave New York. “Me leaving never came across in my mind,” Anthony said. “[Free agency] was just an experience that I thought would be an experience I’d want to experience.”
Asked about Carmelo’s situation, coach Mike Woodson replied, “I don’t see him leaving. That’s just my thought,” according to Begley.
Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reads into Carmelo’s response to a question about the Lakers, predicting that L.A. will be the Knicks’ primary competitor for the star forward’s services next summer.
In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Amir Elhassan provides an FAQ for Anthony’s upcoming free agency, in which he speculates that the Mavericks, Pistons, and Bobcats could also try to make a run at Carmelo.
Exploring a subject that doesn’t involve Anthony, Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal wonders why the Knicks’ front office seems somewhat lukewarm on Iman Shumpert. The third-year guard will be eligible for a long-term extension next offseason.

Eastern Notes: Aldrich, Anderson, Crawford

October 13th, 2013 at 12:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Five of the seven teams that are at the offseason roster limit of 20 players reside in the Eastern Conference, so the Sixers, Cavaliers, Hawks, Heat and Knicks will be making plenty of moves between now and October 26th, the deadline for teams to place their camp cuts on waivers. Here’s the latest from the East as cut-down day approaches:

Cole Aldrich chose to sign with the Knicks over the Bulls, Kings and Pistons, and though coach Mike Woodson has criticized his play and the team appears to be looking for other backup centers, Aldrich is still favored to make the club, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Former first-round pick James Anderson is resurrecting his career and taking full advantage of the opportunity his non-guaranteed contract with the Sixers presents, as Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer details.
Celtics teammates and coach Brad Stevens insist Jordan Crawford‘s reputation as a brash ball-hog is off-base, and they’re confident he has the passing ability to thrive as a combo guard as he enters the final year of his rookie scale contract, observes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com. Grantland’s Zach Lowe notes the high level of optimism surrounding the ex-Wizard (Twitter link).
Bucks owner Herb Kohl is walking a fine line as he tries to secure public funding for a new arena in Milwaukee, and he and GM John Hammond are being careful to keep the team competitive while still overhauling the roster, as Michael Hunt of the Journal Sentinel examines.
Quincy Acy is about to start the last guaranteed season of his contract with the Raptors, and Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun chronicles the 2012 second-round pick’s efforts to crack the rotation before time runs out.

Central Links: Stuckey, Bulls, Mohammed

October 11th, 2013 at 4:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, we heard that Rodney Stuckey would undergo surgery on his thumb, and today the Pistons followed up with another press release announcing that the procedure was successful. With just 15 players under contract, the Pistons have room to bring in players to audition for a roster spot if they’re worried about backcourt depth, but Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link) hears that there’s hope within the organization that Stuckey will return by opening night. As such, a roster move is very unlikely.

Here’s more from around the Central:

Within his weekly chat, Larry Coon of HoopsWorld identifies Luol Deng (Bulls) and Danny Granger (Pacers) as two trade candidates to watch as this season’s deadline approaches. However, Coon cautions that if Derrick Rose remains healthy and the Bulls are firmly in the hunt, trading Deng would be hard to justify.
Sam Smith of Bulls.com fields plenty of Bulls-related trade inquiries in his latest mailbag, including questions on Deng, Carlos Boozer, and Taj Gibson. Smith also extensively discusses the latest report of discord among the Bulls’ coach and GM, suggesting that it’s been overblown and shouldn’t affect the team. John Paxson also shot down the report this week.
Nazr Mohammed, who re-signed with the Bulls this offseason, is interested in pursuing an NBA management role after his player career ends, as he tells Aggrey Sam of CSNChicago.com.
Earlier today, I asked whether or not the Cavaliers will be a playoff team in 2013/14, and so far, more than 70% of you say yes.

Eastern Notes: Pistons, Bobcats, Antic, Raptors

October 11th, 2013 at 10:32am CST by Luke Adams

As the second week of training camps nears an end, let’s check in on a few notes from around the Eastern Conference…

Pistons owner and Los Angeles native Tom Gores is planning on becoming more visible in Detroit this season, and told reporters, including Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, that he also plans on having weekly meetings with the team’s front office, coaching staff, and players.
In the wake of news that Brendan Haywood will be sidelined for three months with an ankle injury, the Bobcats aren’t looking at Jason Collins as a potential fill-in, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Stein’s ESPN colleague Kevin Arnovitz published a story today about what we’re learning from Collins’ free agency.
Pero Antic, who was signed by the Hawks this summer, tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld that he didn’t head into the offseason intending to pursue an NBA job. However, when he got a call from Atlanta head coach Mike Budenholzer, he couldn’t turn down the opportunity.
While no NBA organization would admit to intentionally tanking, Raptors coach Dwane Casey was particularly adamant in his dismissal of the subject, as Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun details. “Fans are going to talk about tanking, that’s their prerogative, I think it’s an interesting subject for them,” Casey said. “I’m not even thinking (about it though). That hasn’t even crossed my mind. That hasn’t been discussed in the organization and it won’t be discussed.”

Rodney Stuckey To Undergo Surgery On Thumb

October 10th, 2013 at 6:31pm CST by Alex Lee

The Pistons have announced that Rodney Stuckey will undergo surgery tomorrow on his right thumb after fracturing his “distal phalanx” on Wednesday when part of his hand got jammed in the door of his car. A timeline for his return will be determined after Friday’s procedure. Per Pistons.com scribe Keith Langlois, the distal phalanx is essentially the tip of the thumb. Langlois also points out that Stuckey, a six-year veteran, missed 27 games his rookie year with a broken bone in his hand (Twitter links).

Stuckey, 27, was expected to compete for the Pistons’ starting shooting guard position this season alongside new point guard Brandon Jennings. While he could still land the job eventually, this injury certainly doesn’t help his chances. Veteran Chauncey Billups and rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope will likely vie for the job to start the season while Stuckey recovers from his injury. For what it’s worth, Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News tweets that Kyle Singler is starting at shooting guard tonight for the Pistons in their preseason matchup against the Heat.

Traded 2014 First Round Picks To Watch

October 9th, 2013 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

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.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Celtics, Pistons

October 8th, 2013 at 8:25pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from around the Eastern Conference.

According to the Chicago Tribune’s Paul Sullivan, Bulls general manager Gar Forman insists there’s no friction between Chicago’s front office and head coach, Tom Thibodeau, and that the team is excited about its young core and new starting five.
Celtics.com’s Mark D’Amico writes that new Celtics head coach Brad Stevens is among a new generation of head coaches who value film study more than ever.
According to a tweet from the Detroit Free Press reporter Vincent Ellis, the Pistons have yet to decide on a starting shooting guard for opening night, but will likely decide between Chauncey Billups and Rodney Stuckey.

Lowe On Spurs, Randolph, Rockets, Raps, Cavs

October 8th, 2013 at 10:26am CST by Luke Adams

Zach Lowe’s latest piece for Grantland is a lengthy one, as he breaks down all 30 NBA teams by tiers heading into the 2013/14 season. Amidst his evaluations of each club, Lowe also includes several tidbits related to teams’ trade options and cap situations. The entire piece is worth checking out, if only to see where your favorite team lands, but we’ll round up a few of the more interesting notes right here:

While the Spurs didn’t shake up the roster much this offseason, they’re in good position to make an in-season trade if need be, says Lowe. San Antonio has a couple movable expiring contracts (Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner), as well as a number of prospects stashed overseas.
Lowe believes Zach Randolph will finish the year with the Grizzlies, but notes that Memphis’ front office is willing to make bold moves and probably recognizes that Randolph’s trade value will be highest this season.
The Rockets are a a “very strong bet” to make a trade or two during the season.
Both the Wizards and Pistons are among the candidates to make an in-season panic trade, due to increasing pressure to make the playoffs. However, Detroit may not have a ton of appealing trade bait unless the club is willing to dangle Greg Monroe, according to Lowe.
With Kyle Lowry and Rudy Gay both potentially entering contract years, the Raptors could end up being deadline sellers if they get reasonable offers and aren’t in position to reach the postseason.
Although they have plenty of assets of value, the Cavaliers‘ trade options will be somewhat limited if they intend to keep their books clean in the hopes of landing LeBron James next summer.
Moving even one mid-tier salary during the season could create “serious cap flexibility” for the Kings.
The Sixers figure to gauge the market value for veterans Evan Turner and Thaddeus Young before the deadline.
While a Rajon Rondo trade isn’t entirely out of the question, it’s much more likely that the Celtics attempt to move players like Courtney Lee, Brandon Bass, and Kris Humphries, writes Lowe.
In Lowe’s view, “everyone is available” on the Suns, except for perhaps Eric Bledsoe and the team’s rookies.

Eastern Rumors: Blue, Brown, Chris Smith

October 6th, 2013 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Heat could again be the class of the NBA, while the Sixers have a strong shot at the league's worst record. Still, it appears they were competing over at least one player this offseason. Here's more on that and the rest of the day's news from the Eastern Conference.

Undrafted rookie Vander Blue had an offer to join the Heat for camp before he signed instead with the Sixers, according to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Kwame Brown is a buyout candidate, but if he and the Sixers part ways this season, it won't be because he negatively affected the young team's chemistry, writes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Chris Smith acknowledges the public perception that there's nepotism at play behind his presence at Knicks camp for the second straight year, but J.R. Smith's brother tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com that he simply uses it as motivation.
Pistons players are welcoming the coaching change from Lawrence Frank to Maurice Cheeks, with some of them citing Cheeks' playing experience as a plus, notes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.