Odds & Ends: Kirilenko, Draft, Mavs, Anderson
It's one of the busiest nights of the year on the hardwood in the Association, with a slate of 14 games before the league takes a one-day hiatus for Thanksgiving. There's plenty of off-court news as well, and we've got that covered here.
- Mike D'Antoni will keep all the existing Lakers assistant coaches through the season, reports Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. It looks like D'Antoni won't hire Nate McMillan, as he indicated he would do, Shelburne adds.
- Nuggets coach George Karl believes the Wolves' signing of Andrei Kirilenko was a smart move, as Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune notes.
- Jeremy Bauman of SheridanHoops.com breaks down the top 10 draft prospects from this week's Legends Classic tournament.
- Dirk Nowitzki hopes when he comes back that he and O.J. Mayo can develop the same rhythm he had with Jason Terry, as Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram details.
- James Anderson, brought back by the Spurs today, wants to copy Danny Green's ability to take advantage of a second chance, as Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News documents.
- Jim Owczarski of OnMilwaukee.com checks in with Brandon Jennings and Monta Ellis as the pair tries to answer questions about their ability to play together for the Bucks.
- Sean Williams, who was waived by the Rockets over the summer, lasted just one preseason game with the Foshan Long Lions of the Chinese league after signing this week, tweets Jon Pastuszek of NiuBBall, who translated a Weibo report. The team picked up Shavlik Randolph, a Wizards training-camp invitee this year, to replace him.
Western Rumors: Wolves, Lakers, Lillard, Barnes
Fans in Minnesota will have something extra to be thankful for on the holiday tomorrow, after John Krawczynski of The Associated Press broke the news of Kevin Love's surprise return to the lineup for the Timberwolves tonight, between two and four weeks ahead of schedule (Twitter links). It seemed like the Wolves were close to becoming eligible for a hardship exemption that would allow them to sign a 16th player to their roster, when Brandon Roy joined Love, Ricky Rubio and Chase Budinger on the list of those expected to miss significant time. Now it appears Minnesota will have to make do with the standard 15, a trade-off the team will surely take if it means having Love back in action. Here's more from the West, with 14 of the conference's 15 teams in action.
- Speaking on Jim Rome's program on Showtime, Kobe Bryant defended Lakers executive vice president Jim Buss, saying it's up to the team's players to validate the hiring of coach Mike D'Antoni, notes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Damian Lillard's instant impact is speeding up the rebuilding process for the Blazers, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
- Harrison Barnes learned how to win in college at North Carolina, and he's bringing some of those principles to the Warriors, observes HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram.
- It's no shock to Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau that Omer Asik, whose offer sheet with the Rockets wasn't matched by Chicago, has blossomed in a starting role, as Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times documents.
- We rounded up more on the Rockets and their Texas rivals earlier tonight.
Texas Notes: Kidd, Pietrus, Spurs, McHale
There's plenty of news coming out of the Lonestar State tonight, where the Spurs, Mavs and Rockets have begun to cool off, to varying degrees, after their hot starts. Here's the latest:
- Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News argues that Jason Kidd had every right to leave the Mavericks this summer, and scolds owner Mark Cuban for giving him the cold shoulder.
- The Spurs made an offer to Mickael Pietrus that included a "one month" guarantee, but Pietrus wasn't interested, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
- According to the French newspaper Le Parisien (translation via Dan McCarney of the San Antonio Express-News), Pietrus never received an offer from the Spurs. That's in contrast to Charania's information, as well as an earlier report from Marc Stein of ESPN.com suggesting Pietrus' demand for more than the minimum is what kept him from the team. Le Parisien attributes Stein's report to misinformation from Pietrus' "entourage," according to McCarney.
- Interim Rockets coach Kelvin Sampson, who's subbing for Kevin McHale, said the situation surrounding McHale is improving, but, "It's not out of the woods yet," reports David Barron of the Houston Chronicle. The team has not specified the reason for McHale's absence, but he's believed to be tending to his ailing daughter.
Rockets Notes: White, Lin, Harden
The Rockets lost their second consecutive game last night in Los Angeles against the Lakers, but they'll have a chance to get back in the win column tonight in Utah. As we await that game, we'll round up a few notes out of Houston:
- Royce White and the Rockets general manager Daryl Morey will meet today in hopes of improving their plan to deal with White's mental health issues, according to Sam Amick of USA Today.
- With Mike D'Antoni set to take over as the Lakers' new head coach, Jeremy Lin acknowledged to Fred Kerber of the New York Post that if D'Antoni was still coaching the Knicks, Lin may still be in New York himself.
- As Howard Beck of the New York Times writes, Lin is enjoying a much more "low-key" season in Houston after last season's Linsanity.
- Ten games into their Rockets careers, new additions Lin and James Harden are still "feeling it out," says Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle.
- Earlier today, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld identified Daequan Cook, Toney Douglas, and Marcus Morris as potential trade candidates for the Rockets.
Kyler On Hawks, Jazz, Calderon, Rockets, Varejao
With this season's deadline still three months away, the trade market likely won't be too active for at least a few more weeks. However, as Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld writes, things could start to pick up on December 15th, when most players who signed over the summer are eligible to be dealt. Kyler looks at a few specific trade candidates in his latest piece, so let's round up the highlights….
- Josh Smith, Paul Millsap, and Al Jefferson are a few players in the final year of their contracts whose respective teams aren't planning to deal. However, the Hawks and Jazz could reconsider their stances as the deadline approaches, if there's an increasing concern that those players will leave in free agency.
- While there's no urgency in Toronto to move Jose Calderon, the Raptors are expected to explore deals. Kyler suggests that small forwards like Omri Casspi and Wilson Chandler are worth keeping an eye on as potential Raptors targets, adding that Chandler isn't in the Nuggets' long-term plan.
- The Rockets likely aren't done dealing, with players like Daequan Cook, Toney Douglas, and Marcus Morris among the team's possible trade candidates.
- DeJuan Blair continues to be available, but the Spurs are still seeking a first-round pick, and it's unclear if any team would pay that price for a player that could sign elsewhere at season's end.
- Anderson Varejao isn't likely to be moved, but if the Cavaliers were to consider a deal, it would have to include Luke Walton and his $6.09MM salary.
- Similarly, if the Kings explored a Tyreke Evans trade, Sacramento would want to include either John Salmons or Francisco Garcia.
- The Timberwolves would be open to moving Derrick Williams if they could land a good veteran player for him.
- Kyler also names Hedo Turkoglu, Tayshaun Prince, Tyrus Thomas, and Wesley Johnson as trade candidates, though all those players could be tough to move due to their salaries.
HoopsWorld On Biggest Disappointments
HoopsWorld.com has a new roundtable feature in which several of the site's writers weigh in on who they believe is the biggest disappointment thus far in the 2012/13 season. Here are the highlights:
- Lang Greene pinpoints Roy Hibbert, signed to a four-year, $58MM contract this summer, as a major reason why the Pacers are underperforming early in the season.
- Alex Kennedy believes that the Raptors' strategy of targeting Landry Fields to make it harder for the Knicks to land Steve Nash backfired. He points to Fields' disappointing start to the season as a reason why the signing is a failure for Toronto.
- Stephen Brotherston writes that Ersan Ilyasova has regressed following what appeared to be a breakout season last year with the Bucks.
- Bill Ingram is frustrated by the continued inconsistent play of JaVale McGee following his re-signing with the Nuggets this summer.
- Derek Page points out that Pau Gasol's offensive efficiency has dropped this season, even more so than expected following the Lakers' addition of Dwight Howard.
- While there is still time for him to mature, Joel Brigham writes that Jeremy Lin has been a disappointment since signing with the Rockets.
Pacific Notes: D’Antoni, Dwight, Rambis, Barnes
Three Pacific Division teams are in action tonight, including the Lakers, who are expected to have Mike D'Antoni on the sideline for the first time. He'll square off against Jeremy Lin and the Rockets, and Howard Beck of The New York Times revisits the brief pairing of the two in New York, one that was beneficial for both, Beck says. We've got more today on D'Antoni, the Lakers, and other news from the Pacific.
- Dwight Howard, who told Howard Beck of The New York Times earlier this week he waived his early termination option last year with the Magic because he "wanted really to make everybody happy," wouldn't have pouted if the Magic had dealt him to the Rockets, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. "I would've gone there and played. I didn't have a problem with it. At the same time, there were two places that I'd rather go to and I'm here at one of them," said Howard, referring to the Lakers and presumably the Nets. "I'm happy. If I would've gone to Houston, I would've played as hard as I could with the Rockets."
- D'Antoni considered hiring former Phil Jackson aide Kurt Rambis as an assistant coach to address the complaints of Jackson's fans, but Rambis' criticism of D'Antoni on ESPN put the kibosh on that, reports Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link).
- Warriors coach Mark Jackson admits he plays "mind games" to help motivate rookie Harrison Barnes, who has begun to pay dividends, observes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group.
Royce White Serious About Possible Retirement
Royce White told ESPN's Colleen Dominguez a few days ago that he's ready to walk away from the NBA if he and the Rockets can't resolve their issues, and White tells Mark Berman of Fox 26 in Houston that his feelings about retiring under those circumstances are "totally etched in stone." Nonetheless, he believes he and the Rockets can hash out an agreement, and isn't considering a recent offer from the Harlem Globetrotters.
In Berman's report, White seemed to indicate he and the Rockets were working on additional contract language that would address his obsessive-compulsive and generalized anxiety disorders.
"The Rockets have been great in saying 'we understand that we don't know a lot here,'" White said. "The Rockets asked me 'what can we do better or how can we support you?' I've been writing some ideas based on what I know about mental illness and what I know about myself of trying to create a nice, sound protocol to add in there. I'm making great progress."
White, who insists the matter isn't one of "Royce versus the Rockets," said he isn't upset about not having played in any of Houston's regular season games so far. Still, he has misgivings about how an assignment to the D-League, which seemed to be in the works earlier this week, would mesh with his disorders.
The rookie, who has been away from the Rockets for more than a week, will meet with general manager Daryl Morey on Monday, but White isn't expecting immediate resolution. He believes he shouldn't have returned as quickly as he did from his absence at the start of training camp, saying the plan he and the team arranged to manage his disorders wasn't complete.
"I think we should have waited until the plan was solid and we had thought out the contingencies and we had made it as fail-proof as possible," White said.
According to White, he began to face adversity when he suffered migraines that forced him to miss the Rockets' game against the Blazers on November 3rd, and the problems continued when communication issues between him and the team surfaced, testing his OCD. White, who was being fined for every day he missed team activities or failed to meet with a therapist commissioned by the Rockets, said he is no longer being fined since he's been meeting with the therapist, Dr. Aaron Fink. White called upon the team to treat his illness as a medical issue, surmising that he wouldn't have been fined if his problems were regarded as such.
Southwest Notes: Howard, Jackson, Sampson
Over the summer, the Rockets were aggressive in trying to facilitate a trade for then Magic center Dwight Howard. Multiple reports at the time said Howard was reluctant to play in Houston, and that if a trade were to occur he wouldn't be happy. Earlier today, Howard told the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen that he "didn't have a problem" with the Rockets heavy pursuit, but his two most desired teams were still the Lakers and Nets.
- With Spurs forward Kawhi Leonard out 10-14 days with tendinitis in his left quadriceps, veteran swingman Stephen Jackson has been selected as his replacement in the starting lineup, writes San Antonio Express-News reporter Dan McCarney.
- With Kevin McHale on indefinite leave from the Rockets as he tends to a family emergency, Kelvin Sampson has been thrust into the role of head coach, writes Feigen.
Atlantic Rumors: Felton, Lin, DeRozan, Lee
The Knicks lost their status as the league's only unbeaten last night, and they could be another loss away from falling out of first place, as the Nets are a game behind and the Celtics, winners in a matinee against the Raptors this afternoon, lurk a game and a half behind. The standings can change quickly in the first month of the season, and while we wait to see whether the early returns on New York were accurate, here's more on the Knicks and their Atlantic Division rivals.
- Raymond Felton has earned the respect of all his Knicks teammates, something predecessor Jeremy Lin failed to do, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. A return to New York, where the point guard has played his best, was Felton's first choice in free agency this summer, agent Tony Dutt tells Berman. "Raymond was born to be a Knick," Dutt said.
- DeMar DeRozan's lucrative extension drew criticism, but Celtics coach Doc Rivers sees plenty of value in the fourth-year swingman, notes A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com.
- Courtney Lee, a career 38.6% three-point shooter, is just 3-for-16 in his first 10 games with the Celtics. Frank Dell'Apa of the Boston Globe discusses Lee's struggles adjusting to his new team.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders if the Celtics' use of their D-League affiliate could lead more teams to think of the D-League as a tool for long-term development rather than simply a way to bring along fill-ins.