Detroit Pistons Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Pistons, Kings, Iverson

February 20th, 2012 at 10:28pm CST by Ryan Raroque

With less than a week before the All-Star festivities begin in Orlando, here are a few other rumblings from around the league.

According to Marc Stein's Twitter, coach Doc Rivers does not expect any big deals for the Celtics near the trade deadline.
Keith Langlois of Pistons.com chatted with fans about the current state of the team and entertains the feasibility of their trade proposal ideas. Also, Pistons coach Lawrence Frank seemed annoyed at the notion of draft talk at this point in the season, as reported by Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Even with the possibility of the Kings re-locating to Anaheim or Seattle, the team could have the help of another billionaire in the effort to stay in Sacramento, according to Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee.
Allen Iverson has been offered a contract to play soccer for the Rochester Lancers of the Major Indoor Soccer League. The team's official website made the announcement this past Saturday.
Warriors coach Mark Jackson tells Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com that he's in no rush to give his young players more playing time.
Though Tyson Chandler believed he would re-sign with the Mavericks, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning news writes about how the situation unfolded over the summer.

Assessing Stocks: Detroit Pistons

February 19th, 2012 at 8:46pm CST by Jesse Blanchard

Portfolio Review: The Detroit Pistons are a mess. While their trade assets aren't entirely worthless, many of them are circling the drain, leaving them in a precarious position. The Pistons have invested more time and energy into their roster than they would likely receive back in return. If all the individual pieces were worthless, it might be easier to cut their losses, discard everything, and start over.

Right now the Pistons need to diversify their portfolio. They have some rotation pieces in the backcourt in Brandon Knight, Rodney Stuckey, Will Bynum, and Ben Gordon. But all four are essentially slightly different variations of the same inefficient scoring combo guard. The key is to figure which one, if any, fits best with Knight and dump the rest for whatever they can get.

Prime Assets: Greg Monroe and Knight are too young and promising to determine their full trade value, so short of a one-sided offer, it makes little sense to deal them. On a good team with a reasonable contract, Ben Gordon was once worth at least one playoff victory by himself a series. On the Pistons, his contract is a liability and his presence in the lineup hinders the development of younger players.

The leaves Tayshaun Prince as their best asset, whether as a standalone or packaged with one of their backcourt pieces. Preferably for a rotation quality pure point guard like Ramon Sessions or legitimate shooting guard to begin the process of figuring out how to best use Knight.

Worthless Stock: Charlie Villanueva. Villanueva is a toxic asset whose lone redeeming value lies in the possibility that he might salvage his value to the team or be freed this offseason via amnesty.

The Rest: Combo guards and forwards are a dime a dozen in the NBA, and those on the Pistons have hardly shown anything separating themselves from the pack. Knight and Monroe are the set pieces, any redundant skill sets or players that might take up developmental resources to those two (minutes, usage, etc.) should be considered in a deal, even if it only returns addition by subtraction.

Pistons Notes: Knight, Stuckey

February 18th, 2012 at 5:35pm CST by Daniel Seco

The Pistons have won six of their last eight games after starting the season with a 4-20 record. They'll head back home on Sunday looking to make it three in a row against a Celtics squad that sits four games behind the 76ers in the Atlantic Division. Here's a look at some Pistons news before the first of two Saturday night games gets underway:

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Brandon Knight became the first rookie to record a 20-point, 10-assist game without a turnover since Steve Francis pulled the feat in 1999 with the Rockets. Knight's effort came Friday evening in a Detroit victory over the Kings. The 20-year-old former Kentucky Wildcat is currently averaging 12.4 PPG and 3.6 APG in his inaugural campaign.
The Pistons hold big hopes for a brighter future thanks to strong guard play from Knight and Rodney Stuckey, writes beat writer David Mayo. While his PPG are down slightly (14.7 as compared to a career-high 16.6 PPG two seasons ago), Mayo suggests Stuckey is more comfortable in sharing the spotlight with Knight and may be beginning to enjoy himself in Detroit. Stuckey's future promise was a major reason why the Pistons traded Chauncey Billups to the Nuggets prior to the start of the 2008/2009 season.

Odds & Ends: Bobcats, Kaman, Lin

February 13th, 2012 at 11:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

D.J. White, whom the Bobcats acquired from the Thunder nearly a year ago, isn't seeing much playing time, and that's because of a glut of power forwards, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. If the Bobcats are overloaded with quality players, it isn't showing up in their record, now 3-25 after a loss to the Sixers tonight. Justin Kubatko of The New York Times examines the ineptitude of the team and deems it a black mark on owner Michael Jordan's reputation. Sixers coach Doug Collins, who coached Jordan with the Bulls and Wizards, wonders how the ultra-competitive Jordan can take it, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports.

More notes from around the NBA on Monday night:

Pistons center Ben Wallace, 37, is not reconsidering his decision to retire after this season, notes Eric Lacy of the Detroit News.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is upset with the NBA over the Chris Paul trade this year, believing the league-owned Hornets would have been better off having Paul leave via free agency, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas.
Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area tweets that Hornets center Chris Kaman could be a trade target of the Warriors.
Warriors GM Larry Riley is one of the many who underestimated Jeremy Lin, predicting he would be a backup at best, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Lin is having a tangible effect on the financial value of his team. Shares of the Madison Square Garden Company, which owns the Knicks, the arena and the TV network that shows the team's games locally, have hit a record high, Ken Belson of The New York Times reports.
Ben Uzoh, recently signed to a 10-day contract, is impressing Cavs coach Byron Scott, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Jerry Reinsdorf's son Michael has been taking a more active role with the Bulls lately, but don't assume that means he'll eventually succeed his father as owner, writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPN Chicago.
The Heat took a flyer on Eddy Curry before the season, and so far he has contributed little. Still, his slow progress doesn't disturb coach Erik Spoelstra, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Central Notes: Varejao, West, Pistons

February 11th, 2012 at 4:56pm CST by Chuck Myron

Despite inquiries from a few teams, the Cavs insisted earlier this week they're not trying to trade Anderson Varejao, and a right wrist fracture reduces the chances of a deal even further. There's no official timetable, but Sam Amico of Fox Sports tweets that he'll be gone at least a week, and he could be out for longer, tweets Bob Finnan of The News-Herald of northern Ohio. Reed Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said he doubts the Cavs will sign anyone to replace Varejao while he's out. (Twitter link)

Here's what going on elsewhere in the Central Division:

Free-agent signee David West enjoys playing with a post threat like Roy Hibbert and has been surprised by the Pacers' commitment to defense, he tells Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld in this video.
Rookie Brandon Knight has fueled the transformation of the Pistons, who've won four straight, from a plodding pace to an up-tempo attack, writes Keith Langlois of Pistons.com.

Odds & Ends: Howard, Kobe, Pistons

February 9th, 2012 at 11:23pm CST by Jesse Blanchard

The All-Star reserves were announced tonight, ending the All-Star streaks of forwards Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett, and earning first-time nods for LaMarcus Aldridge, Andre Iguodala, Roy Hibbert, Marc Gasol, and Luol Deng.

Over at the New York Times, Peter Kerasotis writes the Magic feel that during the lockout too many people got into Dwight Howard's ear, convincing him to leave. Now that they are able to communicate with Howard, they would like to do some convincing of their own.
Matt Moore over at CBS Eye on Sports believes Kobe Bryant sent a message with his recent comments to the media, either improve the roster or suffer the wrath of his 30-shot nights.
There is no timetable for Cavaliers rookie point guard Kyrie Irving's return from a concussion reports Ohio.com's Nate Ulrich. This should give Ramon Sessions some time to improve his trade value.
Meanwhile in Detroit, MLive.com's David Mayo reports that the Pistons backcourt is almost healthy and the team is undecided about the long-term solution to their crowded backcourt.

Odds & Ends: Billups, Alston, Prince, Mavs

February 8th, 2012 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

On this day seven years ago, Smush Parker was waived by the Suns, and it looked like his NBA career may be nearing an end. Parker bounced back though, signing with the Lakers and starting nearly every game for Los Angeles in 2005/06 and '06/07. Parker has been out of the NBA since 2008, but he's still playing professional basketball, having signed today with Venezuelan team Guaros de Lara (hat tip to Sportando). Here are a few more of today's odds and ends…

Following his season-ending achilles injury, Chauncey Billups told Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times that he'd like to return to the Clippers next season to take care of "unfinished business."
Rafer Alston, who recently signed with the NBA's D-League, spoke to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv about his comeback attempt. Alston on the possibility of playing for his hometown Knicks: "If it happens, trust me, I’ll be like a kid in a candy story. I’ll feel like I won the lottery if I get an chance to play at home."
Tayshaun Prince has no regrets about signing a long-term deal to stay with the Pistons, says Terry Foster of the Detroit News.
Don't expect the Grizzlies to sign or trade for anyone in the next few weeks, says Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal, noting that the team still needs to get below the tax line.
Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News would be surprised to see the Mavericks make a move at the trade deadline, but says they'll have plenty of money to spend this summer.
Greg Stiemsma, whose contract was guaranteed yesterday by the Celtics, has taken an unusual road to Boston, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel explains the Heat's decisions on players with non-guaranteed contracts.

Decisions On Non-Guaranteed Contracts

February 7th, 2012 at 10:24pm CST by Luke Adams

February 10th marks the day that all players on non-guaranteed contracts will have their deals guaranteed for the remainder of the season. However, if a team wants to meet that Friday deadline, it will need to make its decisions today, allowing its player(s) to pass through waivers in time.

Some non-guaranteed players, such as DeJuan Blair and Jeremy Lin, are in no danger of being waived. However, with a few dozen players on non-guaranteed deals across the league, there will be plenty of cuts before the day is out. Some of those players will sign 10-day contracts shortly after being cut, while others could join the D-League or find a place on our list of current unrestricted free agents.

We'll track all the day's decisions on non-guaranteed contracts right here, with the latest news up top:

Other players who will have their contracts guaranteed for the remainder of the year: Ivan Johnson, Jannero Pargo, Jerry Stackhouse (Hawks), Cory Higgins (Bobcats), Brian Scalabrine, John Lucas (Bulls), Samardo Samuels, Alonzo Gee (Cavaliers), Sean Williams (Mavericks), Julyan Stone (Nuggets), Vernon Macklin, Damien Wilkins (Pistons), Dominic McGuire, Chris Wright (Warriors), Sundiata Gaines, Keith Bogans (Nets), Steve Novak, Jerome Jordan (Knicks), Ryan Reid (Thunder), DeAndre Liggins (Magic), Lavoy Allen, Francisco Elson (Sixers), Danny Green, Gary Neal (Spurs), Jeremy Evans (Jazz).
The Jazz will guarantee Jamaal Tinsley's contract, according to Brian T. Smith of The Salt Lake Tribune (via Twitter).
The Pistons are keeping guard Walker Russell, agent Giovanni Funicello told HoopsHype (via Twitter).
The Hornets have waived DaJuan Summers and Carldell Johnson, league sources tell Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter).
The Rockets waived Jeff Adrien, reports Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). The move clears a roster spot for Greg Smith.
The Wizards have waived Hamady N'Diaye, according to a team release.
Chris Johnson received a call from Trail Blazers GM Chad Buchanan this morning saying his contract would be guaranteed, tweets Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
The Celtics will hang on to Greg Stiemsma and guarantee his deal, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
The Lakers have waived Derrick Caracter. Caracter broke the news himself, tweeting "It's over before it begun!!! …. On to the next chapter of my life" (Twitter links). The Lakers will hang on to Devin Ebanks, Andrew Goudelock, and Darius Morris, tweets Mike Breshnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
The Clippers have cut Solomon Jones, reports Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times (via Twitter).
The Heat have waived Mickell Gladness, the team announced (Twitter link). Miami's other two players on non-guaranteed deals, Eddy Curry and Terrel Harris, look safe, tweets Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The Grizzlies have waived Josh Davis, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal.
The Spurs announced they've waived Malcolm Thomas, who was assigned to the team's D-League affiliate last week.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

http://sports.nationalpost.com/2012/02/07/steve-nashs-birthday-wish-should-be-a-trade/

Central Notes: Bogans, Thompson, Gee, Pistons

February 6th, 2012 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

By this point, we expected to hear where Joel Przybilla decided to sign, but ESPN's Marc Stein tweets that the veteran center is still weighing his options. Though the Bucks are thought to have interest, Przybilla is believed to have narrowed down his options to the Bulls and Heat. While we wait for a decision from Przybilla, let's check out some links from around the Central division….

Keith Bogans, who recently signed with the Nets, wasn't pleased about the way the Bulls released him this preseason, as K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes. "I put everything on the line each night," said Bogans. "I played with a hurt knee 82 games. I took a pill 82 games to get that (release) in return. Every time I play them for the rest of my career, it will give me something added."
Mychel Thompson of the Cavaliers is trying to prove his worth, says Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Thompson's non-guaranteed contract would become guaranteed if the Cavs hold onto him through Friday.
Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio discusses the Cavaliers' trade assets, and suggests the team extend Alonzo Gee by season's end.
Keith Langlois answered readers' questions about the direction of the Pistons in a Pistons.com mailbag.

Odds & Ends: Noel, D’Antoni, Smith, Lopez, Russell

February 4th, 2012 at 12:31pm CST by Zachary Links

The Knicks suffered another tough loss last night as they fell to the Celtics, 91-89. Here's more on New York and other items from around the league..

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak doesn't regret trading Lamar Odom to the Mavericks in December, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.
Kyle Singler isn't sure if he'll play for the Pistons next season, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com. The Duke product, who was taken in the second round by Detroit in 2011, says he's enjoying his time with Real Madrid in Spain.
Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star asked Andrea Bargnani if he'll consider leaving the Raptors at the end of his deal in 2015. The former No. 1 overall pick said that he has made it "pretty clear" that he wants to remain in Toronto.
Chauncey Billups recruited Kenyon Martin heavily to join the Clippers, tweets J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today. Martin and Billups are both represented by agent Andy Miller.
Massachusetts high school center Nerlens Noel now appears to be in line for the 2013 NBA Draft rather than 2014 after reclassification, writes Adam Zagoria for Sheridan Hoops. Earlier this week, Noel told Dave Telep of ESPN.com that he's now set to graduate with the class of '12 rather than '13. The center now projects as the top pick in the 2013 draft according to DraftExpress.com.
Despite uncertainty surrounding his job, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni will not be fired today despite back-to-back, last-second losses to the Bulls and Celtics, NBA sources tell Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Even though the Knicks were linked to Kenyon Martin, the guy that they've really had their eye on is J.R. Smith, writes Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops. Smith said to be considering five teams, including New York. The Clippers are also in that group but they can only make Smith a minimum offer after agreeing to sign Martin using their room exception.
Six weeks after undergoing surgery on his right foot, Nets center Brook Lopez still isn't sure when he'll be able to return, writes Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. The Nets will likely need a healthy Lopez in order to put together a package for Orlando's Dwight Howard.
Friday marks the league deadline for teams to either release players with non-guaranteed contracts or guarantee their deals for the rest of the season. Pistons 29-year-old rookie Walker Russell is making a strong case to stay with Detroit, writes David Mayo of MLive.com.