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Western Notes: White, Beverley, Childress, Kings

January 3rd, 2013 at 1:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Although a report surfaced recently suggesting that Royce White could explore the possibility of playing in Europe, where he wouldn't have to fly to games, the Rockets rookie insists that's not the case. He announced today via Twitter that he expects to play for Houston "once this current situation is resolved." White turned down a D-League assignment earlier this week, citing a lack of a mental health protocol.

Here are a few more Thursday updates out of the Western Conference:

Patrick Beverley is still expected to sign with the Rockets, once he receives FIBA clearance, according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle (via Twitter). Beverley's deal, which we heard about back in December, will mean the Rockets will have to release another player to clear a roster spot.
Josh Childress isn't interested in a 10-day contract at this point, so the Timberwolves or any other team would have to give him a full-season guarantee if they were to sign him, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities.
According to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld, word in NBA circles suggests that "major change" is coming to the Kings next summer when Geoff Petrie's contract ends and new management is brought in.
DeMarcus Cousins and Tyreke Evans are among the names Ian Thomsen of SI.com thinks will be dangled before the trade deadline, suggesting that if the Kings are considering a "major house-cleaning," both players could be moved.

International Notes: Martin, White, Oberto

January 2nd, 2013 at 5:43pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest rumors about NBA players signing internationally on Wednesday evening:

Sports Interactive Network Philippines is reporting that agent Sheryl Reyes has begun negotiating with representatives for former NBA All-Star Kenyon Martin about possibly playing in the Philippines, although no deal is close between the sides. Martin last played in the NBA for the Clippers in 2011/12.
Sportando reports that the agent for troubled Rockets forward Royce White will listen to offers from several European teams, and a loan arrangement with the Rockets is possible.
Sportando also reports that former Spurs big man Fabricio Oberto, who retired from the NBA in 2010 due to heart problems, will apparently sign with Atenas de Cordoba, in his native Argentina.

Western Notes: Jazz, Howard, Hickson, Beasley

January 2nd, 2013 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers saw their 17-game winning streak finally come to an end last night in Denver, and now sit percentage points behind the Thunder in the Western Conference standings. Still, ESPN.com's Chad Ford gives the Clips the slight edge over OKC as the best team in the West at the moment. Here are a few more Western Conference notes from Ford's chat and from a variety of other writers:

Responding to questions about trade candidates like DeMarcus Cousins and Kevin Love, Ford suggests the Timberwolves should trade Love sooner rather than later (though there's no indication they will), and says the Jazz wouldn't be a logical suitor for Cousins, since Utah isn't the sort of team that would take that risk.
Elsewhere in his chat, Ford questions whether it's a lock that Dwight Howard will sign a long-term deal with the Lakers, noting that D12 "still pines for Brooklyn." Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld also wrote last night (via Sulia) that it's hard to see a long-term marriage between Howard and the Lakers working. I still think L.A. is the overwhelming favorite to sign Howard, but it's not necessarily the sure thing it seemed to be at one point.
J.J. Hickson is an early candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, according to Alex Raskin of HoopsWorld. Hickson, who is playing on a one-year deal and could be a coveted free agent next summer, tells Raskin that he's not sure exactly what his future holds: "I don’t know. All I can do is control what I can control and that’s play the game of basketball and the rest will work itself out."
When Chuck Myron of Hoops Rumors examined some of long-term deals signed last offseason that haven't worked out so far, he didn't mention Michael Beasley's three-year, $18MM contract with the Suns. But as Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic writes, Beasley has "bottomed out" in Phoenix.
Newly-signed James Anderson talks to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle about what he hopes to bring to the Rockets.
Having been recalled by the Mavericks from the D-League earlier this week, Jared Cunningham tells Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News that his time with the Texas Legends was "good for me."

Rockets Sign James Anderson, Cut Cook

January 2nd, 2013 at 10:30am CST by Sean Highkin

WEDNESDAY, 10:30am: The Rockets have officially signed Anderson and waived Cook, the team announced today in a press release.

SUNDAY, 4:44pm: Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle tweets that Anderson's deal with the Rockets will be for three years, the third of which will be a team option. Daequan Cook is expected to be waived in order to clear a roster spot for Anderson.

2:09pm: The Houston Rockets will sign forward James Anderson today, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, via Twitter. It is not yet known whether Anderson's contract is guaranteed.

The timing of the signing is interesting, given the news earlier today that Royce White is refusing an assignment to the D-League on account of his anxiety disorder. The Rockets have previously shown no indication that they are considering waiving White, who has yet to play for the Rockets. The team has 15 players under contract, so waiving a player is necessary to sign him. Of these players, Scott Machado and Greg Smith have nonguaranteed deals, but Smith has been solid in major minutes and the Rockets have shown every indication of wanting to keep Machado. It would seem that White would be next in line to get cut, but the Rockets have yet to make an official announcement on the matter.

In 10 games with the Spurs this season, Anderson averaged 3.4 PPG and 1.4 RPG in 9.4 MPG.

Southwest Notes: Dirk, White, Hornets, Leonard

January 1st, 2013 at 12:57pm CST by Sean Highkin

The latest news and notes from around the Southwest Division on New Year's Day:

Jeff Caplan of ESPNDallas.com thinks the Mavericks should start Dirk Nowitzki. They had previously been bringing him off the bench to ease his integration back into the rotation.
Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes that the Rockets are considering suspending suspending Royce White for his recent refusal of their D-League assignment.
Hornets coach Monty Williams understands that the development of his young players is more important that making the playoffs in the short term.
Mike Monroe of the San Antonio Express-News praises Kawhi Leonard's recent defensive impact for the Spurs.

Royce White Not Accepting D-League Assignment

December 30th, 2012 at 9:29pm CST by Luke Adams

9:29pm: According to a tweet from Yahoo! NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski, the Rockets have no intention of releasing White.

2:19pm: Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld tweets that if the Rockets wanted to part ways with White, their best option would be simply to cut him and eat his salary. He notes that White has a considerable amount of leverage in any prospective buyout negotiation.

12:58pm: Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle has posted White's full statement on the Chronicle's blog.

12:41pm: Rockets rookie Royce White has issued a statement saying that he will not accept his assignment to the D-League, according to Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston (via Twitter). White had been assigned to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers yesterday by the Rockets.

White's anxiety and fear of flying have been well-documented this season, as his mental health issues have postponed his NBA debut and perhaps even put his NBA career in jeopardy. When news broke yesterday that White would be sent to the D-League, Berman and TNT's David Aldridge both reported that the assignment was part of a "multi-week plan" for the first-round pick, with a D-League stint merely the first part of that plan.

However, according to Berman, White's publicist China Myers has indicated that the 6'8" forward will not report to Rio Grande "until a mental health protocol is in place" (Twitter link). According to Aldridge, White's statement indicates he wants to play, but is uncomfortable with team officials making mental health decisions, calling instead for "the collaboration and recommendation of trained professionals." (Twitter links).

Kings Rumors: Petrie, Relocation, Cousins

December 30th, 2012 at 8:29am CST by Luke Adams

Last night, we heard from Sam Amick of USA Today that there's a growing belief in some circles that Geoff Petrie, the NBA's longest-tenured GM, won't be back with the Kings next season. Additionally, the decision to reinstate DeMarcus Cousins two days into his "indefinite" suspension was made unilaterally by ownership, against the wishes of the front office. Amick, a former Kings beat writer, has passed along even more rumblings out of Sacramento, so we'll round them up right here:

Even if the Maloofs were to offer Petrie a new deal, one source close to the 64-year-old says he's "99.9% sure [Petrie] wouldn't take it," since he wants to retire soon.
According to Amick, the Maloofs continue to discuss the possibility of relocation with several cities, and have let it be known that they believe bidding should start at $500MM. Amick calls that figure "astounding," noting that the last two NBA teams to be sold, the Hornets and Grizzlies, were in the $330-380MM range.
Amick hears from multiple sources close to the situation that a trade to the Wizards would be considered ideal for Cousins and new agent Dan Fegan, since it would reunite the big man with Kentucky teammate and Fegan client John Wall.
Amick writes that the Nuggets, Pistons, Rockets, and Celtics have shown interest in gambling on Cousins in the past, though it's not clear whether all those teams would still have interest now. We heard yesterday from ESPN.com's Marc Stein that the Pistons and Celtics, at least, are still thought to be very interested.
It was "strongly suggested" to Cousins that he see a psychologist, a request he declined, which was his prerogative — the NBA's collective bargaining agreement doesn't allow players to be forced into mental health counseling, as Amick explains.
Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes that Petrie's refusal to meet with the media regarding Cousins' suspension speaks to his increasingly strained relationship with the Maloofs. According to Voisin, the Kings should resolve their front office issues before the trade deadline, and hang on to Cousins.

Rockets Assign Royce White To D-League

December 29th, 2012 at 8:30pm CST by Ryan Raroque

8:30pm: David Aldridge of NBA.com mentions that the D-League assignment is part of a "multi-week plan", and Berman clarifies that the workouts in Houston along with the stint in Rio Grande Valley represent steps one and two of that plan, respectively.

8:02pm: The Rockets have sent rookie forward Royce White to their D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers (according to a tweet by Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle). White is yet to appear in a regular season game for Houston this season and should have a better opportunity to develop more in the NBDL.

Mark Berman of Fox 26 (via Twitter) mentions that the 6'8" forward had worked out with a member of the Rockets' organization this past week, and Feigen adds that the assignment is part of a plan in which White is on board with to ultimately get him ready for the NBA.

Western Notes: Thunder, Lin, Dwight

December 29th, 2012 at 6:22pm CST by Ryan Raroque

HoopsWorld's Susan Bible wonders whether Thunder sophomore Reggie Jackson, with an assist from extra playing time in the D-League, has surpassed Eric Maynor to become the primary backup to Russell Westbrook. Maynor will be a restricted free agent this summer, while Jackson's rookie deal isn't up until 2015. Jackson and Maynor's respective playing time over the last three games have definitely been worth noting, as the former Boston College product has averaged 16.3 MPG to Maynor's 1.3 (including two DNP-CDs). We have more tidbits to share from the Western Conference, and you can find them below:

Jeremy Lin is becoming a better fit next to James Harden, as Royce Young of CBSSports.com observes. The Rockets have gone 7-2 in their last nine games, with Lin averaging 14.1 PPG and 6.7 APG.
The Mavericks are hoping that Dwight Howard will leave the Lakers in free agency next summer, tweets Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. As Chuck Myron outlined over the summer, signing Howard appears to be a risky strategy from a salary cap perspective, even if it's possible.
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune provides a fuller picture of Rockets coach Kevin McHale's recent comments about Royce White.
While former Kings second round draft pick Hassan Whiteside isn't currently under contract with an NBA team, Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside highlights how the 7-footer's recent performances with the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the D-League has helped quell some past concerns about his play.
Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News thinks that Dan Fegan (the newly hired agent of DeMarcus Cousins) could be instrumental in forcing a trade out of Sacramento with Cousins' chance at a contract extension looming (Twitter link).

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Nets Notes: Sampson, Van Gundy, Jackson

December 29th, 2012 at 3:36pm CST by Zachary Links

The Nets handed the Bobcats their 17th straight loss last night under newly-minted interim head coach P.J. Carlesimo. Here's a look at the latest out of Brooklyn as we wonder how long the former Seton Hall head man will get to keep that mantle..

Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson is not among the candidates to coach the Nets this season, reports Sam Amick of SI.com, despite earlier indication that he was receiving strong consideration. Amick also notes that Jeff Van Gundy, who doesn't want to lobby for the job while Carlesimo is in place, would prefer to stay out of coaching while his daughter finishes her senior year of high school.

Earlier updates:

If Phil Jackson doesn't agree to coach the Nets this season, as he is reportedly relucntant to do, a source tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that the Nets may decide to finish the season with Carlesimo on the bench and renew their coaching search in the offseason, when Jackson would be more willing to come aboard. The list of coaching hopefuls could be longer by then, but at the moment, GM Billy King is expected to propose Jackson, Jeff Van Gundy, Nate McMillan and Mike Dunleavy as candidates to owner Mikhail Prokhorov.
Gerald Wallace, who was said to be one of Avery Johnson's biggest supporters, isn't thrilled with how his tenure came to an end, according to the Associated Press. "To me, it's kind of frustrating and sad because that's the first time in my career that a coach's been let go in the middle of the season like that," Wallace said. "But I understand the business part of it. We move on and obviously regardless of who's sitting at the head of the chair, we know what we got to do as players."
Avery Johnson was said to be surprised by the Nets' move to fire him, but he shouldn't be, writes HoopsHype's Peter May. Johnson should have seen the writing on the wall when Prokhorov denied his request for a contract extension, May opines.
Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) spoke with guard MarShon Brooks, who is excited about a new opportunity to play after being buried on the bench by Johnson. Brooks and Kris Humphries both seemed to be strong trade candidates as their roles were significantly reduced this season.