Odds & Ends: J.R. Smith, Powe, Celtics, Redd
Here are a few Thursday links of note from around the NBA:
- The Knicks have more interest in J.R. Smith than they have in Kenyon Martin, tweets Howard Beck of the New York Times. If Smith's CBA team doesn't make the playoffs, he could make his way back to America in a couple weeks.
- Leon Powe has talked to the Bulls, and may be a backup plan if Chicago doesn't land Joel Przybilla, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
- The Celtics have discussed sending JaJuan Johnson to the D-League, but head coach Doc Rivers tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com that it won't happen anytime soon.
- Early-season signee Michael Redd is still trying to get comfortable on the floor with the Suns, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- In an NBA.com mailbag, Keith Langlois answers readers' questions about the Pistons, including a couple related to possible Rodney Stuckey trades.
Central Notes: Kaman, Pacers, Leuer, Cavs
The latest out of the Eastern Conference's Central division:
- Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News explains why acquiring Chris Kaman doesn't make sense for the Pistons.
- At Pistons.com, Keith Langlois answers fans' questions on trades and a handful of other topics, agreeing that Kaman-to-Detroit isn't likely.
- The Pacers have never sent a player to the D-League and don't intend to do so with anyone on their current roster, according to Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star.
- With Andrew Bogut and a handful of other Bucks on the shelf, Jon Leuer has surpassed expectations, writes Dennis Punzel of the Wisconsin State Journal.
- Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal examines the Cavaliers' shooting guard options, including some D-League possibilities.
Chris Kaman Drawing Trade Interest
12:49pm: The Bobcats have also inquired on Kaman, but a deal isn't likely, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
9:40am: The Rockets and Spurs are among the teams to inquire on Chris Kaman since Hornets GM Dell Demps said he intends to trade the center, reports John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune. According to Reid, at least five teams have talked to the Hornets about Kaman, and Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group adds the Warriors to that list.
Kaman, who arrived in New Orleans last month as part of the package for Chris Paul, will sit out until the Hornets can work out a trade, as Demps told ESPN.com's Marc Stein last week.
"Chris has been the ultimate professional since he joined us," said Demps. "In no way is this a disciplinary action. We had discussions about extending his current contract when he first came to the Hornets, but the organization decided to go in a different direction."
According to Thompson's sources, a deal with the Warriors is unlikely. While Golden State could use Kaman to replace the injured Kwame Brown, it doesn't appear the Warriors have the pieces to match up with New Orleans. The league-owned Hornets may also find it tricky to work out a deal with division rivals like Houston and San Antonio.
The Pistons, Pacers, and Cavs have also been linked to Kaman, though Yahoo's Adrian Wojnarowski says New Orleans' reported asking price of draft picks, cap space, and a young player is too high for most teams (Twitter link).