Stein On Nets, Calipari, Grizzlies, LeBron, Cavs
In this weekend's column, Marc Stein of ESPN.com talks to Thunder star Kevin Durant as he gears up for the team's playoff push. Some are wondering if the Lakers could give Oklahoma City a tough time in a first round matchup, but Durant doesn't seem too concerned about it. "They're a tough team, playing well, but it doesn't matter who we play," said Durant. Here's more from the Weekend Dime..
- The Nets have long been linked to Kentucky coach John Calipari, but the Wildcats' down season probably makes that union even less likely to happen. While Calipari is cognizant of the fact that Mikhail Prokhorov is the one owner that could put "Monopoly money" on the table, he will be itching to come back with a vengeance next season. Kentucky went from a national championship last year all the way to a first-round loss in the NIT to Robert Morris.
- The Grizzlies' players were vocal about wanting to keep Rudy Gay in the fold before the trade deadline but it seems as though they've rallied around each other in the wake of the trade with Toronto. Players are quick to point out how well they've been playing since the swap and some believe that the club had some degree of unrest with Gay in the mix. One insider sees it differently. "The guys really like [Zach Randolph] and [have] rallied around the guy who's still there," said the insider.
- Despite all the speculation about a possible return to Cleveland for LeBron James, Stein sees it as extremely unlikely. This time around, James won't be staring at two ringless hands and second guess his status quo. On top of having the security of a ring and a great thing going in Miami, Stein doesn't see him parting ways with Dwayne Wade given the bond that the two have developed.
Odds & Ends: LeBron/Cavs, Wafer, Harrington
Without leading scorers Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters yesterday, the Cavaliers had the surging Heat against the ropes in Cleveland through three quarters, leading by nine before ultimately losing in a heartbreaker. The last few years have represented some trying times for Cavs fans, although with the rise of Irving as a young potential superstar, Dion Waiters showing flashes as a promising scorer, and Tristan Thompson continuing to improve, the horizon is beginning to look bright in Cleveland. A promising young core on a team with cap space could only be a selling point toward a possible homecoming for LeBron James in 2014, although ESPN's Marc Stein (Twitter link) believes that the Akron native and Dwyane Wade are too close for LeBron to just "bolt Miami." Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous notes from around the NBA:
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld highlights that several clubs have considered signing Von Wafer, particularly teams looking to bolster their rosters before the playoffs start. The former second-round pick had recently returned from a stint in China and last played in the NBA during the 2011/12 season. In the same piece, Kennedy identifies players who have helped their free agency stock with their strong play this year.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes that Al Harrington could decide to sit out the rest of the season for the Magic for the sake of their young players benefiting from major playing time. The 33-year-old forward, who overcame a staph infection after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, insists that his knees are fine now and that he will focus on preparing them for next year. Robbins adds that although Harrington is due about $14.7MM over the next two seasons, those years are partially guaranteed and could be bought out for nearly half that number this summer.
- Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro discusses his job status with Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times. Now in his third season in LA and nearing the end of his contract, Dwyre writes that Chris Paul's contract status, the level of preference for Del Negro, and the team's performance in the playoffs are all substantial factors that are in play with regard to the coach's future with the team.
- Pistons coach Lawrence Frank tells David Mayo of MLive.com that, considering their record this year, none of the players – as well as the coaches – should feel safe about retaining their role for next season.
Odds & Ends: LeBron, Raja Bell, Wall, Draft
Here are a few Wednesday afternoon odds and ends from around the Association:
- Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com takes an extensive look at the decision that will face LeBron James, along with the teams that hope to sign him, in the summer of 2014. While Windhorst suggests that the Heat, Cavaliers, Lakers, and Bulls are among the clubs that could be in the mix for LeBron in '14, he stresses that the former MVP himself has yet to make any decisions about whether he'll even opt out of his contract with Miami.
- If the Cavs hope to recruit James or any other major free agent in the summer of 2014, they'll need to put a more competitive product on the court in 2013/14, says Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
- Despite not being playoff-eligible, Raja Bell has continued to search for an NBA job, according to Shams Charania of RealGM.com (via Twitter). However, nothing has developed, and Bell appears likely to sit out the entire season.
- John Wall continues to tell reporters that he feels he's worthy of a maximum contract, with Michael Lee of the Washington Post the latest scribe to get a quote from Wall on the subject. The Wizards point guard tells Lee he'd be disappointed if he can't work something out with the team before the 2013/14 season gets underway.
- When we asked last night whether Wall deserves a max deal, the response was an overwhelming no. Lee's readers at the Washington Post agree, as their responses indicate.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford answers plenty of draft questions in his latest chat, noting that the situation at Kentucky will be very interesting to watch. Top recruit Julius Randle announced today that he'll become a Wildcat, and three current freshman suggested yesterday that they're leaning toward returning to Kentucky for their sophomore years.
- The NBA has hired former Nuggets and Nets GM Kiki Vandeweghe as its vice president of basketball operations, the league announced today. Vandeweghe will report to executive VP of basketball ops Stu Jackson.
Cavs Sign Chris Quinn For Rest Of Season
10:11am: The Cavaliers have officially signed Quinn, the team announced in a press release. The deal will be for the remainder of the season, according to the Cavs.
WEDNESDAY, 8:23am: Quinn is expected to finalize his deal and be in uniform tonight against the Heat if he passes a physical today, tweets Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer.
TUESDAY, 8:24pm: The Cavaliers will sign Chris Quinn of the NBDL's Tulsa 66ers, reports Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside (via Twitter). With Kyrie Irving potentially sidelined for the remainder of the season, the Cavs just learned that Dion Waiters will now miss at least a week. Per Schlosser, Quinn will serve as a short term fix in Cleveland.
Quinn, a Notre Dame product, has five years of NBA experience on three teams but has not played in the league since 2010-11 with the Spurs. Since then, he has bounced between the NBDL and overseas and was one of the final cuts last fall in training camp with the Jazz. At 29 years old, this audition might be the last in the regular season for Quinn if he cannot prove his worth.
D-League Moves: Thunder, Kevin Jones, Nets
We'll round up today's D-League assignments and recalls here, with any additional moves added to the top of the page:
- The Thunder have recalled Jeremy Lamb, DeAndre Liggins and Daniel Orton from the D-League, the team announced via press release. All three, along with Perry Jones III and Reggie Jackson, have frequently shuttled back and forth between Oklahoma City and the Tulsa 66ers this season, as the Thunder have taken advantage of their nearby single-affliate D-League club. Among the players returning to the Thunder today, Lamb has put up the most impressive numbers with the 66ers, averaging 21.4 points in 20 games.
- The Cavs have recalled Kevin Jones from the D-League's Canton Charge, according to the Plain Dealer (Twitter link). The power forward had been on his sixth D-League assignment this season after Cleveland signed him in late November. Jones is averaging 22.4 points and 11.2 rebounds in a dozen games for the Charge. He's appeared in 19 games for the Cavs, but has seen just 8.9 minutes per contest.
- The Nets have assigned Tornike Shengelia and Tyshawn Taylor to the D-League for the second time in the past week, the team announced via press release. The pair are headed down to the Springfield Armor again after a one-day stint on Friday. Taylor delivered 21 points and eight assists while Shengelia had 15 points and five rebounds for the Armor that night in a win against the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, though both players struggled with turnovers. Taylor gave the ball away nine times and Shengelia committed five giveaways. Both players will be in uniform for the Armor's game Tuesday, so their D-League stays should be at least slightly longer this time around.
Cavs Notes: Scott, Speights, Ellington
The Cavaliers have 16 games left in the season, and with the team out of the playoff race, they'll amount to auditions for many of the players whose status for next season is uncertain. Only half of the members of the team's current 14-man roster possess either fully guaranteed deals or a player option for next season, meaning GM Chris Grant and company have plenty of decisions to make. Bob Finnan of The News-Herald takes a stab at predicting which of the Cavs will return, and he includes a few interesting nuggets, as we highlight here along with other news from Cleveland:
- Coach Byron Scott, on whom there could be pressure to make the playoffs next season, will make about $4.5MM in 2013/14 after the Cavs picked up the option on his contract.
- Finnan expects Marreese Speights to opt out of his $4.515MM deal for next season, and doesn't believe the Cavs will re-sign him at an asking price likely to be in the neighborhood of $5MM.
- Restricted free agent Wayne Ellington is line for a deal similar to the three-year, $9.75MM contract Alonzo Gee received late this summer, Finnan surmises.
- Daniel Gibson, Omri Casspi and Kevin Jones are long shots to return, according to Finnan.
- The Rockets and Lakers had interest in C.J. Miles before he signed with the Cavs last summer, notes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal. Miles said the uncertainty surrounding L.A.'s pursuit of Dwight Howard dissuaded him from joining the purple-and-gold. Miles' deal is non-guaranteed for next season, and while he hopes Cleveland retains him, he isn't worried about his free agent prospects if they don't.
Cavaliers Rumors: Grant, Scott, Livingston
The Cavaliers nearly pulled out an upset of the Spurs last night in a game bereft of injured All-Star point guards Kyrie Irving and Tony Parker, but instead Cleveland lost and continued its trudge toward the lottery. The lottery and draft are usually banner events for the Cavs, who will come away with two top-20 selections for the third season in a row if the Lakers hold on and make the playoffs. Bob Finnan of The News-Herald checks in with the latest from Ohio's team, and we'll hit the highlights:
- Finnan hears from league sources who believes there will be pressure on GM Chris Grant and coach Byron Scott next season, and speculates that both could be gone if the team doesn't make the playoffs.
- The Cavs picked up Shaun Livingston's minimum-salary contract off waivers from the Wizards earlier this season, but Finnan believes it will take more than the minimum to keep him around next season, estimating that a two-year, $4MM offer could be enough to bring him back.
- Scott is pining for someone who can protect the rim. "I'd love to have a couple of guys down there that would change shots and block shots," the coach said. "Hopefully, we'll get that in due time." Scott believes Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson could eventually develop into shot-blockers.
- Finnan also passes along a look at the NBA's top agents from Michael Pina of Hoops Rumors.
Pluto On Irving, Gibson, Impending Free Agents
The Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto believes that the Cavaliers will have to tread carefully with Kyrie Irving's health, as he says that the young star has missed a significant amount of time over his first two seasons due to several different basketball-related injuries. Whether it involves reducing his minutes or learning how to manage his game to take less hits, Irving's durability will have to take top priority for Byron Scott and the organization, opines Pluto. Here are a handful of more significant notes about the Cavs from his column on Cleveland sports:
- The team will likely part ways with Daniel Gibson this summer, when the 6'2 guard is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
- Wayne Ellington, a restricted free agent, will probably be re-signed.
- C.J. Miles has a $2.25MM team option and will likely be kept.
- Whether or not the Cavaliers keep Shaun Livingston will depend on the price that the market sets for him.
- While Dion Waiters is still prone to making rookie mistakes, the rookie out of Syracuse has made noticeable improvements over the course of the season. With Kyrie out of the lineup, Pluto thinks this will be a key opportunity for Waiters to handle the ball more.
- Although the team's biggest needs include a small forward or a big man, Irving's injuries may prompt the team to draft a guard in June.
Odds & Ends: Redick, Kobe, Lottery Odds
J.J. Redick spent nearly six and a half seasons with the Magic before being dealt to the Bucks right before the trade deadline. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Redick says that he never felt any ill-will toward the Magic organization during the process and completely understands why they traded him: "Based on Arron (Afflalo) being there and who’s in the draft this year and where the Magic are likely to pick, there’s no way they would commit anything to me long-term — not just me, but just anybody in my situation. From a business standpoint, from a cap-building and rebuilding standpoint, it wouldn’t make sense. I get that. That’s fine."
You can find more of what we've gathered up from the Association tonight below:
- Mark Medina of the LA Daily News (via Twitter) provides a brief update of Lakers star Kobe Bryant's injury status, saying that his ankle sprain is considered serious enough to deem his return indefinite.
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets that the draft lottery odds will be affected on a nightly basis moving forward, as eight teams have between 22-24 wins. Most notably, those teams could be choosing as high as third or as low as tenth depending on how their season ends.
- Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW thinks that Brandan Wright's dependable play could very well make him a keeper for the Mavericks for the long-term.
- Marco Belinelli has relished his time in Chicago so far, and the Bulls shooting guard – once viewed as Kyle Korver's replacement as a perimeter shooter – has worked hard to remove the stereotype that he's just a one-dimensional player (Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports).
- Shaun Livingston has been the beneficiary of heavy playing time for Cavaliers coach Byron Scott, who has looked to the 6'7 point guard to fill in for the injured Kyrie Irving, observes Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel catches up with former Bucks forward Tobias Harris, who appears to be thriving in a significant role with the Magic.
- Perry Jones III credits the Thunder veterans for preparing him before he filled in for the injured Hasheem Thabeet on Friday, says Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK. Coach Scott Brooks made note of the rookie's eight-point, five rebound performance, and despite saying that there currently isn't any room in the rotation, the Baylor product has "a very bright future" with the team.
Odds & Ends: Stuckey, Monroe, Macvan
The last time the Pistons earned a trip to the postseason was in 2008-09, when they drew the first-seeded Cavaliers led by LeBron James and were subsequently swept. Of the 12 active players on Detroit's playoff roster that year, only three remain today – Will Bynum, Jason Maxiell, and Rodney Stuckey. While Stuckey has a partially guaranteed contract in 2013-14, Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News says that "nobody would be surprised" if the 6'5 guard is traded before next season, particularly before the draft in June. Here's more of this evening's miscellaneous links:
- Lakers big man Pau Gasol encountered some soreness in his foot after participating in a game of two-on-two at the team's practice facility today, writes Mike Bresnahan of the LA Times. The cause and extent of the of the soreness weren't clear, and he plans to visit a foot specialist on Sunday.
- In the above piece, Goodwill adds that Greg Monroe, who is set to become a restricted free agent after next year, remains confident that GM Joe Dumars is capable of turning the struggling team around.
- The Cavaliers have no plans of bringing Milan Macvan – their 2011 second round draft choice – on board anytime soon, writes Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer. The 23-year-old Serbian big man is currently playing for Galatasaray in Turkey.
- HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy provides a list of D-Leaguers at every position who could be in line for a callup, with eight D-League players having already inked with NBA teams in March (Sulia link).
- One scout tells Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio that this year's NCAA tourney will have a major impact on determining the order of the players selected in June. Citing how weak he believes the upcoming draft class is, the scout also tells Amico that a star from a small school could wind up being selected in the lottery again, the same way Damian Lillard emerged out of Weber State last year.
- John Rohde of The Oklahoman takes a look at some of the players the Thunder could get with the lottery pick they're expected to receive from the Raptors this year.
- The team that wins the Las Vegas Summer League, which is reportedly switching to a tournament style format this year, will have the cost of its additional tournament games reimbursed by the league, sources tell Ric Bucher of CSNBayArea.com.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.