Minor Moves: Hazell, Wright
We'll track today's D-League and international news here, with the latest up top:
- Former Seton Hall standout Jeremy Hazell has latched on with the Los Angeles D-Fenders of the D-League, agent Seth Cohen tells HoopsHype (Twitter link). The 6'5" guard went undrafted after his senior year last season, but wound up in camp with the Suns.
- The Warriors announced they have recalled forward Chris Wright from the Dakota Wizards, who were eliminated from the D-League playoffs yesterday by the Bakersfield Jam. Wright averaged 17.9 PPG, 8.5 RPG and 1.8 blocks per game in 11 games during three separate stints with the Warriors' D-League affiliate. During 19 NBA games this season, the 6'8", 226-pound University of Dayton product averaged 2.1 PPG in 4.8 MPG.
Pacific Notes: Del Negro, Kings, Petrie, Warriors
Today's updates out of the Pacific Division focus primarily on off-court situations, including potential relocations or managerial changes. Let's round them up….
- During the stretch earlier this season when the Clippers lost 11 of 19, there was some internal discussion about replacing coach Vinny Del Negro, says Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. However, owner Donald Sterling continued to support Del Negro and the team wanted to let him work through the team's struggles.
- Mayor Kevin Johnson said he's not sure whether the Maloofs want to keep the Kings in Sacramento but that "this is not over, we're going to figure something out." Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee has the details.
- George Maloof spoke to both SI.com's Sam Amick and Ken Berger of CBS Sports, insisting that he hopes there's still a way the Kings can remain in Sacramento.
- Asked about the Trail Blazers' GM opening, Kings president of basketball operations Geoff Petrie replied, "That's something I can't really comment on. I have a job." Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com writes of speculation that the Blazers could pursue Petrie, who has strong ties to Portland, and points out that Petrie didn't deny having interest.
- Warriors assistant coach Michael Malone is a good bet to land a head coaching job elsewhere this summer, according to Vittorio Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- The Warriors' lease in Oakland can be exited in 2017, and co-owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber are telling people they're open to all their options, reports Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News. Oakland, San Francisco, and San Jose could all be possibilities.
Warriors Sign Mikki Moore
The Warriors have officially signed Mikki Moore, the team announced today. Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside reported on Saturday that Golden State was looking into calling up Moore.
Moore, 36, played in 24 games for the D-League's Idaho Stampede this season, averaging 11.7 points and 7.8 rebounds in 28.0 minutes per contest. The seven-footer has played in 557 career NBA games over the course of 12 seasons, but hasn't played in the Association since December 2009, with Golden State.
The Warriors had an extra roster spot, so they won't need to make a corresponding move.
Pacific Rumors: Barnes, Kings, Udoh, Hill
Three of the five Pacific Division teams are in action today, as the Clippers and Warriors clash in a matinee while the Suns travel to San Antonio for a game tonight. Let's check the pulse of the Pacific:
- Matt Barnes is in the waning days of his two-year, $3.67MM contract with the Lakers, but his ability to step up while Kobe Bryant has missed games with a shin injury has helped keep the team afloat, write Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times and Mike Trudell of Lakers.com.
- Kings coach Keith Smart is trying to keep his players focused amidst all the arena-related upheaval in Sacramento, and speaks favorably of the progress center Hassan Whiteside made this year before getting knocked out for the rest of the season with a sprained right ankle, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. The team must decide by July 15 whether to guarantee his $854K contract for next season.
- Ekpe Udoh was caught off guard when he found out from a television report that the Warriors had dealt him to the Bucks, reports Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. "Coming off the court in Sacramento, I will never forget seeing on TV that I had been traded," Udoh said. "It's surreal, really. But it's a business, and I got a firsthand glimpse of that. I understand that now, and now I'm with the Bucks, and I'm going to give it my all."
- Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News talked to a few Spurs players who are impressed with the way 39-year-old Grant Hill continues to perform as one of the league's top perimeter defenders for the Suns. Hill will be a free agent this summer.
Odds & Ends: Moore, League, Blazers, Heat
At a presser at the NBA Board of Governors meetings yesterday, commissioner David Stern introduced new Hornets owner Tom Benson and addressed a number of other issues. Here's more news out of the BoG meetings and other links from around the league..
- Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld looked at the best and worst case cap scenarios for teams in the Eastern Conference this summer.
- The Warriors might be looking at bringing back Mikki Moore, tweets Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside.
- The league expects that the new Collective Bargaining Agreement will not only reduce league losses but will actually result in a profit for the 2012/13 season, tweets Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today.
- In addition to considering advertisements on jerseys to increase revenue, the NBA will also explore opportunities in the secondary ticket market, Zillgitt tweets.
- Delonte West confirmed to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that his former agent Noah Croom did in fact interview for the Trail Blazers vacant GM job. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports first reported the news on Tuesday but Blazers president Larry Miller declined comment.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel looks back at the time Lamar Odom and Antoine Walker spent in South Beach. Odom will be looking for a new team this summer while it's the end of the line for Walker.
- Hornets guard Xavier Henry told John Reid of The Times-Picayune (video link) that the team is happy about new owner Tom Benson. Earlier today we learned that Carl Landry is more inclined to sign a long-term deal with the club now that their ownership situation is resolved.
Odds & Ends: Lee, Bynum, Howard, Spurs, Wolves
It's been a full day in the NBA, with a dozen games on the schedule and plenty of news coming out of the Board of Governors meetings in New York, including a new owner for the Hornets and turmoil in Sacramento. Here are a few links to round out an eventful Friday the 13th:
- David Lee is likely out for the year with a groin strain and stress reaction, the Associated Press reports. The Warriors announced that team doctors have advised him to rest until he's healed. Golden State may put a fourth rookie, Mickell Gladness, in their depleted starting lineup, notes Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle.
- Fran Blinebury of NBA.com argues a change of scenery might have been best for Andrew Bynum and Dwight Howard, and speculates that the Lakers and Magic may regret not swapping their centers before the trade deadline this year.
- Mike Monroe of the Express-News takes a look at how the Spurs are integrating midseason pickups Boris Diaw and Stephen Jackson into their system.
- The last days of the season will be critical for Wolves Michael Beasley, Anthony Randolph, Malcolm Lee and Wesley Johnson, whose futures are up in the air, writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
- The NBA expects to lose money this season on the heels of significant losses the last two years, but is projecting a profit for next season, writes Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today (hat tip to TNT's David Aldridge).
Pacific Rumors: Whiteside, Odom, Nash, Dragic
The top three teams in the Pacific Division are all scrambling for playoff position in the season's final two weeks, as the Lakers and Clippers go after the division title while the Suns, who get free-agent-to-be Grant Hill back from knee surgery tonight, are just looking to qualify for the postseason. Here's the latest from the West Coast:
- Kings reserve center Hassan Whiteside will miss the rest of the season with a severe ankle sprain, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Whiteside has two years left on his contract at less than $1M each, but they're not guaranteed if he's waived before July 15. The 2010 second round pick has played in just 19 games for Sacramento, with much of his action coming in the past two months. He's averaged 2.2 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in just 6.1 MPG this season.
- Lamar Odom has close ties to Warriors assistant coach Jerry DeGregorio, who was the best man in his wedding to Khloe Kardashian, notes Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. Earlier this week we passed along that Odom is on Golden State's radar.
- Point guards Goran Dragic and Steve Nash will both hit the free agent market this summer, but they aren't letting the notion that they may be competing for dollars get in the way of their mutual admiration from their time together with the Suns, as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets.
- Blake Griffin, who'll be a free agent after next season, has taken some criticism this year, and SI.com's Sam Amick takes a lengthy look at how the reigning Rookie of the Year is dealing with increased expectations of himself and the Clippers this season.
Warriors Notes: Bogut, Draft, Future
The latest news and notes about the Golden State Warriors on Thursday evening:
- Marcus Thompson II of the Contra Costa Times is optimistic about the odds that the Andrew Bogut trade will pan out for the Warriors.
- The San Jose Mercury-News' Tim Kawakami takes a look at the chances that Golden State will be able to keep its 2012 first-round draft pick, which is owned by Utah, albeit with top-seven protections.
- Kawakami believes it essential for the Warriors' future that they keep this pick, as it will be the only upside to what has been a disappointing season that began with playoff hopes.
Jamal Crawford Interested In Warriors?
Jamal Crawford lit up the Warriors last night, scoring a season-high 34 points last night en route to a 118-110 Trail Blazers win. However, there's a possibility Crawford could be doing that scoring for the Warriors next year, rather than against them. Golden State is a potential free agent destination for the guard, according to Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group, who has heard the Warriors on Crawford's list of desired locations.
Crawford, 32, is expected to decline his $5.23MM player option for 2012/13, making him a free agent this summer. While the Warriors couldn't increase his annual salary much, since they'll only have the mid-level exception available, they could tack on a couple extra years at that price. However, Thompson points out that a two guard won't necessarily be a priority for Golden State in free agency.
Assuming he turns down his option for next season, Crawford will join Eric Gordon, Ray Allen, Jason Terry, and O.J. Mayo as a few of the top shooting guards available on the free agent market this July.
Lamar Odom’s Trade Value
We heard this morning that the Warriors have Lamar Odom on their radar as a potential offseason addition, but Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com questions whether Odom would be a wise investment for Golden State. The Warriors need sure-things, Steinmetz argues, and they don't want to bring in a player that could be a locker-room distraction.
Noting that even trying to sign Odom to the mid-level exception might be ill-advised, Steinmetz all but rules out the possibility of giving up any assets to trade for the veteran. One GM tells Chris Mannix of SI.com that different teams may value the 32-year-old differently, since he's only tradeable to teams for whom he'd want to play (Twitter link). That makes his trade value limited, at best.
Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com is even more pessimistic about what Odom could bring the Mavericks in a trade. The most likely scenario, in MacMahon's opinion, is Dallas essentially paying a team to execute Odom's buyout. If the Mavs dealt Odom, cash, and a second-round pick to a team with enough cap room to absorb Odom's salary, they'd save $2.4MM in 2012/13 cap space and create a trade exception worth $8.2MM. The team acquiring Odom, meanwhile, would sacrifice a small amount of cap room, but could ultimately come out even as far as cash goes, and gain a second-rounder in the deal.
It wouldn't surprise me if a team was able to talk itself into rolling the dice on Odom, and traded for him before or during the June draft. His upside is tantalizing, and perhaps a year removed from this season's drama, he'll bounce back to his previous level of production. But the Lakers are the only team that can be reasonably confident in what they're getting in Odom, and they're the only NBA club that can't acquire him until next season.
It may not have the same amount of intrigue as the draft-lottery balls or Deron Williams' impending free agency, but Odom's fate will be an offseason subplot worth tracking. If he can recapture the form that earned him the Sixth Man of the Year award in 2010/11, Odom has the potential to be a huge bargain for his new team. If not, he could be a waste of $8MM+ for one more year.