Pistons Notes: Monroe, Gores
The Pistons are unlikely to trade Greg Monroe before the February 20th deadline, writes Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press. The idea of moving Monroe because of finances isn’t true, the team can fit him in their budget, as Andre Drummond‘s next contract is still two seasons away. The question is more to whether or not Monroe is worth signing to a big money extension. Ellis opines that teams are reluctant to give up on young, skilled big men of high character like Monroe. But, he also agrees that if a high-level player like Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo becomes available, then the Pistons would definitely have to consider making a deal. But the team trading Monroe just to add another shooter or solid rotation player that isn’t a game-changer? Highly unlikely, according to Ellis.
More from Detroit:
- Pistons owner Tom Gores is frustrated with the team’s record and performance so far, writes Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News. “I’m not satisfied with the job I’m doing. I’m not satisfied with the job anybody’s doing, including myself,” Gores said yesterday. With the team’s record at 19-27, and considering the Pistons have given away a number of games this season with uneven fourth-quarter play, Gores said what most owners or general managers or coaches of an underperforming team would say, “The record isn’t indicative of the talent assembled on the roster“.
- Goodwill also believes that Gores shares part of the blame from when he all but demanded the Pistons make the playoffs this season, and made his desire known for the team to make a big splash in free agency. This resulted in the signing of Josh Smith, a player who didn’t necessarily fit the mold of what many expected the team should’ve been shopping for.
- Gores also stated that he is more focused on making their own players better right now, rather then making trades before the deadline, according to Goodwill’s piece. The owner hasn’t publicly demanded the Pistons make a drastic change to a roster that needs shooting in the worst way. But that could change if the Pistons’ woes continue.
- Keith Langlois of NBA.com puts a more positive spin on Gores’ outlook. He believes that the owner sees a lot of hope in the young roster. The Pistons average age among their starters is 23 years, and that allows Gores to maintain a measure of patience despite the inconsistencies that have dogged them over the season’s first 46 games.
Odds & Ends: Cavs, Durant, Pistons
The Cavaliers have been all over the news the last few days, and not for anything good. There are rumors that Kyrie Irving wants to fire his agent and leave Cleveland, though he issued a denial about this. Then there are the rumors that coach Mike Brown has lost the locker room. Latest to weigh in is Jason Lloyd of The Akron Beacon Journal. Lloyd says that barring a significant turnaround before the trade deadline, the roster will likely face some major changes. That very well could include a trade of Dion Waiters, whose act has worn thin on his teammates and various members of the organization. Irving’s behavior has also irritated teammates and other members of the organization, but the Cavs are expected to offer him a max contract extension this summer and aren’t believed to be considering trading him.
Some more notes from around the league:
- It was reported earlier that John Wall would try to recruit Kevin Durant to join the Wizards when he becomes a free agent in 2016. Durant, in town to play the Wizards, weighed in on the possibility, writes Ben Standig of CSN Wahington.com. Durant was born in Washington D.C., and had this to say before the game, “I grew up here. I’ve got 100 people coming to the game tonight. That should tell you how much I care for this city.” He continued on to say, “Just growing up here, catching the subway down to the MCI Center at the time as a kid, and watching the games. I’m very fortunate, blessed to come back here and play. Every part of D.C. is embedded in my heart. Looking forward to playing tonight.” Durant didn’t say he was considering heading to the Wizards, but he also didn’t rule it out.
- Pistons owner Tom Gores said that he is concerned about his underachieving team but added that the focus is on improving the existing roster, not buying or selling before the upcoming NBA trade deadline, writes David Mayo of MLive.com. Gores’ stance is that the team should be performing better than they have with their current roster. He also stated the focus isn’t on the upcoming trade deadline, but on helping the current roster develop. Gores also denied the team was trying to trade Greg Monroe, whom our readers voted the Piston most likely to be moved before the trade deadline.
D-League Notes: Hairston, Faverani, Siva
Earlier today, Chris Mannix of SI.com reported that executives around the league believe the Cavs are hesitant to send No. 1 overall pick Anthony Bennett to the D-League because they think it would look like an admission of failure on their part. Meanwhile, the forward still hasn’t turned things around for the Cavs’ varsity squad. Here’s tonight’s look at the D-League..
- P.J. Hairston is impressing scouts and his stock is rising, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Now with the Texas Legends, the former UNC standout is averaging 27.4 ppg and shooting 43% from three-point range in five D-League games. Hairston is currently ranked No. 26 on the most recent mock draft from DraftExpress.
- The Celtics announced that they have assigned center Vitor Faverani and guard Vander Blue to the Maine Red Claws of the D-League. Faverani, a 6’11” center, has appeared in 37 games for the Celtics this season and has recorded 4.4 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 13.2 minutes per game. Blue, a 6’5” guard, has appeared in three games for the Celtics this season and has totaled five points, three rebounds, and an assist in 15 minutes of play. Faverani is expected to be back with the Celtics on Sunday, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe (via Twitter).
- The Pistons announced today that the team has re-assigned rookie guard Peyton Siva and rookie forward Tony Mitchell to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League. Siva averaged 12.0 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, and 2.6 steals in five games during his first stint with the Mad Ants from December 28 through January 8. In six games with the Mad Ants, Mitchell averaged 6.8 points, 6.5 rebounds, 1.0 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 22.1 minutes per game. They’ll likely be there for two weeks, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.
D-League Moves: Gaines, Wizards, Knicks
Sundiata Gaines is headed to the D-League, a source tells Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. The three-year NBA veteran has appeared in 11 games with Besiktas Milangaz in Turkey this year and was in camp with the Pacers in the fall of 2012. The 6’1″ guard’s most memorable contribution to the NBA was a buzzer-beater for the Jazz in 2010, though his best season was in 2011/12, when he started 12 games for the Nets. Here are more comings and goings from the D-League:
- The lack of a one-to-one relationship with their affiliate might be one reason why the Wizards are unlikely to send Otto Porter to the D-League, even though coach Randy Wittman says an assignment is possible, writes J. Michael of CSNWashington.com.
- The Knicks followed through with their plan to recall Cole Aldrich, Toure’ Murry and Jeremy Tyler from the D-League today, the team announced (Twitter link). New York sent the trio down on Wednesday merely to practice with the team’s affiliate, which is stationed at the Knicks training facility this week.
- The Rockets have recalled Isaiah Canaan from the D-League, the team announced via Twitter. Canaan is undergoing rehab for a strained hamstring, as Jason Friedman of Rockets.com notes, so it doesn’t sound like he’ll see action for the big club (Twitter link).
- Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks says the team will send Tony Mitchell and Peyton Siva to the D-League to play this weekend, tweets Vincent Ellis of the Detroit Free Press, confirming a report from Reggie Hayes of The News-Sentinel.
Broussard’s Latest: Carmelo, Rondo, Love
Most of the executives to whom ESPN Insider’s Chris Broussard has spoken believe the Bulls will make a run at Carmelo Anthony this summer. Some are “completely convinced” Chicago will go after him, Broussard writes. A rival GM thinks the team’s confidence in Nikola Mirotic‘s ability will play heavily into the team’s decision regarding Anthony. A report in recent days indicated the Bulls are among the front runners for last year’s scoring champ. Broussard has plenty more in latest piece, and we’ll round it up here:
- Rajon Rondo quickly ended extension talks with the Celtics, and the discussions didn’t even get to the numbers stage, according to Broussard, who says the point guard wants to keep his options open as he seeks a payday and a winning situation. Rondo has expressed his commitment to Boston, but the Knicks, who remain interested in trading for him, view him as the perfect complement to Anthony.
- A GM tells Broussard that it’s “a 100% certainty” that Kevin Love will sign with the Lakers after next season. Most executives who’ve spoken to the ESPN.com scribe also believe the former UCLA star is headed for the purple-and-gold.
- The Lakers might be willing to overpay Eric Bledsoe to bring him aboard via restricted free agency this summer, a source tells Broussard. Suns owner Robert Sarver has indicated he’s willing to match any offer for the point guard, so it’d be a surprise if Bledsoe wound up back in L.A.
- If the Celtics, who are looking to clear cap room, can find takers for Gerald Wallace, Jeff Green and Avery Bradley, “they’re gone,” Broussard says. It’s not a surprise that GM Danny Ainge would be quick to unload Wallace, but his apparent enthusiasm for moving Green and Bradley is noteworthy.
- The Raptors had engaged in trade talk with other clubs about DeMar DeRozan and Kyle Lowry before their run to the top of the Atlantic Division, but Toronto is no longer looking to move DeRozan, barring an substantial offer. Broussard hears the Raptors are not high enough on Lowry to offer him a sizable contract when he hits free agency this summer, but an opposing GM thinks Toronto will hang on to Lowry through the trade deadline because of fears about alienating the fan base.
- The Pacers will only trade Danny Granger if another team “blows them away” with an offer, Broussard writes.
- Broussard detects a strong sense around the league that the Pistons are eager to trade Josh Smith.
- The Sixers would be willing to take back a little bit of salary to acquire draft picks for their veterans, according to Broussard. I assume he’s referring to long-term salary commitments rather than players on expiring deals.
- The strong play of the Grizzlies has quieted chatter surrounding Zach Randolph, Broussard reports.
- The Heat are interested in Andrew Bynum, but they’re unwilling to pay him more than the minumum salary, an executive tells Broussard. Bynum is reportedly holding out for more than that.
- GMs who spoke to Broussard identified the following players as candidates to be traded before the deadline: Andre Miller, Jameer Nelson, Emeka Okafor, Kenneth Faried, Shawn Marion, Dion Waiters, Jarrett Jack, Francisco Garcia and Arron Afflalo.
Eastern Notes: Cavs, Pistons, Sixers
The Cavaliers are going through a bit of a rough patch lately. They’ve just completed a homestand during which they went 1-4. Their overall record is now 16-29, which is good for 11th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, leaving them 2 1/2 games behind the Bobcats for the eighth seed. Cavs GM Chris Grant tells Bob Finnan of The News-Herald and Morning Journal that the team’s lack of effort isn’t acceptable. This view might inspire him to make some moves prior to the trade deadline. Grant also spoke with Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, and stated the team would be open to the possibility of dealing, but it would be difficult to predict the market. In regards to the recently acquired Luol Deng, Grant said, “We’re happy with Deng, so if we don’t do anything, we feel like we’ve added a quality player. If there’s an opportunity to improve the team, we’ll take advantage of it.”
Some more notes from around the East:
- Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times had a Q&A session with Emily Gruver of The Sixer Sense.com. Moore opined that the Sixers‘ Evan Turner was more likely to be traded than Thaddeus Young. He also was intrigued by the raw potential of Dewayne Dedmon, who is on his second 10-day contract, and the Sixers have until this Sunday to make a choice on keeping him for the rest of the season or letting him go.
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson was happy to hear La La Anthony’s opinion on her husband, Carmelo Anthony remaining a Knick past this season, writes Fred Kerber of The New York Post.
- There are a number of different people to blame for the Pistons rough season, writes Drew Sharp of The Detroit Free Press, including team owner, Tom Gores. Sharp opines that it was Gores’ “playoffs-or-else ultimatum” that led to the signings of Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings, and created the “ill-matched” roster they currently have.
Pistons Turning Away Calls About Greg Monroe
The Pistons have informed teams with interest in trading for Greg Monroe that the big man isn’t available, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com. That echoes a Monday report that Detroit is strident in its position that it won’t trade Monroe to the Wizards, who apparently covet the soon-to-be restricted free agent.
Stein suggests there’s a strong chance the Pistons and president of basketball operations Joe Dumars will come around to the idea of trading Monroe before the February 20th trade deadline. The team will otherwise face a conundrum in the summer, when the 6’11” Monroe will be an appealing prize for other teams on the free agent market. The Pistons have the right to match offers, but as Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News surmised this fall, Monroe and agent David Falk could command a deal in line with the four-year, $48MM extension that Derrick Favors signed with the Jazz.
The Pistons had postseason aspirations after acquiring Josh Smith in the offseason, but they’re 18-27 so far, tied with the Knicks for ninth place in the Eastern Conference and a half game behind the Bobcats for the final playoff spot. The addition of Smith, plus the promotion of Andre Drummond to the starting lineup, has given Detroit a front line that lacks shooting touch, helping lead to speculation that a shakeup could be coming. Hoops Rumors readers who voted in a recent poll identified Monroe as the Piston most likely to be traded by a wide margin.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Wizards, Pistons
There’s been some ugly basketball tonight in the East, with the Cavs losing to the Pelicans, and blowouts coming in the Knicks/Celtics and Pistons/Magic games. Here are some of today’s rumblings from the East:
- Glen Rice Jr. has been recalled from the D-League by the Wizards, per a release on NBA.com. Rice was playing with Washington affiliate Iowa Energy on a rehabilitation stint.
- Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News believes there’s a 75% chance of the Pistons making a trade between now and the deadline, identifying Rodney Stuckey, Charlie Villanueva, Jonas Jerebko and Greg Monroe as the team’s top trade candidates.
- In a series of tweets, New York Daily News’ Frank Isola noted some peculiar in-arena behavior from Knicks owner James Dolan and other New York brass during the Knicks/Celtics game. Isola speculates that the apparent in-game meetings could have something to do with either Beno Udrih (who has requested a trade) or Iman Shumpert, who hurt his shoulder and hasn’t returned to action.
Odds & Ends: Stern, Pistons, Augustin, Mavs
In today’s column, David Aldridge of NBA.com recaps the history of commissioner David Stern‘s tenure in office. “The Life and Times of Stern” was culled by talking with people that worked with him, for him, and played in or were a part, directly or indirectly, of his league. As you might expect, not everyone who dealt with Stern was happy with him at the time, but there’s a tremendous amount of respect for what he did from all corners of the game. Here’s more from around the Association..
- The Pistons have lots of questions to address between now and the trade deadline as Vince Ellis of USA Today Sports explains.
- Bulls guard D.J. Augustin has a certain comfort level with his club after joining them about a month ago, writes Adam Fluck of Bulls.com. Since joining the Bulls, Augustin has averaged 30.4 minutes per game. The only time in his professional career he’s seen more playing time was in 2010/11 with the Bobcats , when he turned in his best statistical season, averaging 14.4 points and 6.1 points over 82 games, all starts.
- In a recent radio interview, former Mavericks guard Jimmy Jackson claimed that the club and Stern were guilty of collusion when negotiating his rookie contract, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation.com. Those accusations were never proven in a court of law, but Ziller writes that it wouldn’t be surprising in the least if they were true.
- Stern has been calling NBA owners to let them know he will be out of sight for a while and Adam Silver is the guy to call/email for all issues, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. Stern hasn’t officially handed off the torch to Silver yet, but it sounds like the transition has effectively taken place.
- There are tons of recognizable names still looking for NBA jobs and Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders runs them all down by position. Those looking for work include Richard Hamilton, Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, Chris Duhon, Seth Curry, Josh Howard, Mickael Pietrus, Corey Maggette, Stephen Jackson, Marcus Camby, and more.
Odds & Ends: Millsap, Monroe, Lakers
Reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week Paul Millsap is outplaying his two-year, $19MM contract, which is no surprise. Still, he tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com that he’s content with the Hawks.
“I hope to stay here, but we haven’t discussed [it],” Millsap said. “Now where I’m at, I feel comfortable and, hopefully, it can turn into a long-term thing. Right now, we’re focused on these two years, seeing what we can do. I felt this was the right move for me.”
Here’s more on other teams and players determined to make the right move for themselves:
- The Pistons are “aggressively” sending out signals that they’re not going to trade Greg Monroe to the Wizards, who are reportedly interested in the big man, as Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders writes in chat with readers. Kyler cautions that Detroit’s stance could change before the deadline.
- Kyler also hears that the Lakers have canvassed the entire league in search of young players and picks, but there’s little interest in what the purple-and-gold have to offer.
- DeMar DeRozan is under contract through 2016/17, but with trade rumors surrounding the Raptors, he made it clear that he prefers to stay in Toronto for the long haul, as part of an interview with BALLnROLL.com (hat tip to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News).
- With J.J. Redick returning to Milwaukee as a member of the Clippers for tonight’s game, Doc Rivers explained to reporters how Redick’s shot-making ability persuaded him to pursue the sharpshooter in free agency this past summer. Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel has the details, including input from Redick on what went wrong with the Bucks last year.
- The personal trainer for Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith has left the Knicks over differences with the coaching staff, reports Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. The hiring of Idan Ravin was widely viewed as a favor to Anthony and Smith, and it’s unclear what role, if any, the split will play in Anthony’s decision regarding free agency this summer, Begley writes.
- Michigan shooting guard Nik Stauskas has been impressing NBA teams of late, according to Chris Mannix of SI.com (Twitter link). The sophomore is No. 16 on the DraftExpress rankings and No. 19 on the ESPN Insider board.