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Eastern Rumors: Bucks, Sims, Oden, Mayo, Hill

October 19th, 2013 at 2:48pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Bucks overhauled their roster this summer, and they’re without four of the five players who averaged double figures in points for them last season. Still, they’re one of five teams that Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld believes is capable of overachieving and grabbing a playoff berth. Milwaukee made a pair of moves today, picking up their 2014/15 options on Brandon Knight and John Henson, and there’s more on the Bucks and more from Brigham in the latest out of the Eastern Conference.

  • Henry Sims is one of seven players on non-guaranteed deals in Cavs camp, but he’s expected to make the team, according to The Plain Dealer’s Terry Pluto.
  • Erik Spoelstra‘s intimate knowledge of Greg Oden‘s rehab procedures impressed the former No. 1 overall pick while he was considering where to sign this summer, as Oden tells USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt for a piece that looks at the Heat’s effort to revive the careers of Oden and Michael Beasley.
  • O.J. Mayo chose the best financial offer when he signed for three years and $24MM with the Bucks, but the money isn’t the only reason why Mayo’s new surroundings appeal to him, writes Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. “I’m happy to be here and I want to stay here,” Mayo said. “That’s why I bought the house here because I don’t plan on leaving anytime soon.”
  • Solomon Hill was a surprise selection at No. 23 this past June, but early signs point to him seeing significant minutes for the Pacers this season, Brigham writes.
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Eastern Notes: Watson, Billups, Taylor, ‘Melo

October 18th, 2013 at 7:32pm CST by Chuck Myron

HoopsWorld’s Alex Kennedy looks at the upgraded bench in Indiana, and hears from C.J. Watson that the team’s desire to reach a deal with him on the first day of free agency influenced his decision to join the Pacers.

“I wanted to play for a contender and I wanted to go to a team where I could get playing time,” Watson said. “Also, I felt like I could help this team. They were a very good team already, they’re very young and getting better each and every year, but I felt I could help. I just want to come off the bench and score and defend and change the tempo whenever they need me to and also be a leader.”

In the same NBA PM piece, Kennedy checks in with Pistons offseason addition Chauncey Billups and Cavaliers camp invitee Jermaine Taylor. Here’s more from the East:

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Pacers Waive Ron Howard, Darnell Jackson

October 17th, 2013 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

The Pacers have released Ron Howard and Darnell Jackson, reducing their camp roster to 15 players, the team announced today in a press release. With 15 players now under contract, the team won’t necessarily have to make more cuts before opening night. However, according to Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star (via Twitter), coach Frank Vogel has indicated Indiana figures to start the year with a 13-man roster, so more moves are likely on the way.

The 6’5″ Howard was a D-League All-Star last season, averaging 19.1 PPG and recording an 18.2 PER for the Fort Wayne Mad Ants. The 6’8″ Jackson, meanwhile, participated in Utah’s training camp last fall before joining the D-League’s Reno Bighorns. A second-round pick in the 2008 draft, Jackson has played for the Cavaliers, Bucks, and Kings in 138 total NBA contests. As Buckner notes (via Twitter), Howard and Jackson were the only two active Pacers players not to get into last night’s game against the Mavericks.

Assuming the Pacers make two more cuts before opening night, as planned, Hilton Armstrong and Rasual Butler are likely to be the odd men out. Both players are on fully non-guaranteed deals.

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Traded 2014 First Round Picks To Watch

October 9th, 2013 at 10:31am CST by Luke Adams

As we saw in 2011 when the draft pick acquired from the Clippers by the Cavaliers ended up landing first overall, trading unprotected first-round picks is a risky proposition for NBA teams. That would explain why, heading into the 2013/14 season, only three ’14 first-round picks have been traded without protection, all by veteran teams expected to have strong years.

The Knicks’ first-round pick will be sent to the Nuggets, as part of New York’s debt from the Carmelo Anthony blockbuster. However, if the Knicks’ pick is less favorable than Denver’s own pick, the Nuggets will pass it along to Orlando, as part of last summer’s four-team Dwight Howard trade. Otherwise, the Magic will receive Denver’s pick.

The Warriors’ first-round pick will head to Utah, one of several picks Golden State sent to the Jazz in the cap-clearing summer deal that saw Andre Iguodala land with the Warriors.

The other unprotected first-rounder will come from the Nets, who agreed to send their pick to Boston in this offseason’s acquisition of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett. As part of 2012’s Joe Johnson swap though, the Hawks have the opportunity to swap their own first-round pick with the Nets’ pick, leaving the Celtics with the lesser pick of the two. So if the Nets disappoint this season, it will be the Hawks, rather than the C’s, who benefit most.

Nine other teams have agreed to give up their respective 2014 first-round picks in certain scenarios, but given the protection on these picks, only a handful will actually change hands next summer. We’ll be keeping an eye on the standings all season to monitor whether or not these traded picks will fall under protection, but here’s an early look at the situations to watch this season:

Team: Charlotte Bobcats
Will be sent to: Chicago Bulls
Protection: 1-10
Forecast: Despite the addition of Al Jefferson, the Bobcats still likely project as a lottery team, meaning this pick has a good chance to stay put. That could be good news for the Bulls, since we continue to inch closer to 2016, when this pick will become unprotected.

Team: Dallas Mavericks
Will be sent to: Oklahoma City Thunder
Protection: 1-20
Forecast: Mark Cuban and the Mavs are optimistic about the new-look roster, but I’m skeptical that Dallas is a top-ten team. This pick will probably stay with Dallas.

Team: Detroit Pistons
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-8
Forecast: If the Pistons were to finish as a bottom-eight team, I expect there’d be some jobs opening up in Detroit in 2014, given the expectations for the club. I have the Pistons penciled in as a low playoff seed in the East, so this pick should be ticketed for Charlotte.

Team: Indiana Pacers
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: While the Heat may be the No. 1 seed in the East again, the Pacers shouldn’t be too far behind them. As such, this pick will likely land in the mid-20s and be shipped to Phoenix.

Team: Minnesota Timberwolves
Will be sent to: Phoenix Suns
Protection: 1-13
Forecast: If the T-Wolves can avoid the injury problems that plagued them last season, they should be a playoff contender. The West will be competitive though, so there are no guarantees either way on this one.

Team: New Orleans Pelicans
Will be sent to: Philadelphia 76ers
Protection: 1-5
Forecast: I’m not bullish on the Pelicans’ postseason chances for 2013/14, but the offseason upgrades, along with continued development from Anthony Davis, should ensure that New Orleans isn’t a bottom-five team. The result could be a pair of lottery picks for the Sixers.

Team: Philadelphia 76ers
Will be sent to: Miami Heat
Protection: 1-14
Forecast: Speaking of those Sixers, it would be truly be a shocker if their own first-rounder changed hands next summer. Many pundits don’t expect the Sixers to win 20 games, let alone earn a playoff spot.

Team: Portland Trail Blazers
Will be sent to: Charlotte Bobcats
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: Like the Wolves, the Blazers expect to be in contention for the postseason, but again, it won’t be easy in the West. This is another pick I could see going either way.

Team: Sacramento Kings
Will be sent to: Cleveland Cavaliers
Protection: 1-12
Forecast: The Kings are entering the season with playoff aspirations as well, but their odds are significantly lower, in my view, than the Wolves’ or Blazers’. I expect we’ll see Sacramento keep this pick.

RealGM.com was used in the creation of this post.

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Larry Bird Talks Hiatus, Offseason, Scola, Heat

October 8th, 2013 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

After being named NBA Executive of the Year in 2012, Larry Bird stepped away from his role in the Pacers’ front office for a year, returning this summer in time to make a number of offseason moves for the team. Speaking to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, Bird indicates that he didn’t expect to be back so soon, but that he’s feeling rejuvenated as the season nears. Here are a few of the highlights from Berger’s conversation with the Hall of Famer:

On his decision to return to the Pacers as president of basketball operations:

“I never dreamed I’d be back, especially so quick. But I thought that’s the best thing that I’ve done in a long time — get away from it, refresh, watch the team play…. Of course, any time you’ve got a better team, it makes it a lot easier. But not only that, we’ve got good guys. These guys are so good to be around. It’s like you never left.”

On the Kings’ pursuit of Bird and how it ultimately led him back to the Pacers:

“I guess when the other owners started calling my owner (Herb Simon) up and started asking questions, that’s when he called me and said, ‘Look, I want you back here. I’d rather you be here than anywhere else.'”

On his offseason moves to bolster Indiana’s rotation:

“When I was sitting there last year I was saying, ‘Man, they need a stronger bench, a more consistent bench.’ Soon as I got back, I started pinpointing guys I wanted to go after.”

On the acquisition of Luis Scola:

“I’ve always liked Scola, always been after Scola. I made some calls knowing the price might be steep, but still feel like we got a good deal out of it.”

On the challenges facing the small-market Pacers:

“Every collective bargaining agreement, they try and do whatever they can to make it a level playing field. But it’s never going to be that way. You’ve got major markets that can go out and spend a lot of money on one player, and if he doesn’t pan out, they just sit there and go get another one. We can’t do that. But I knew coming in here what we were up against…. I chose to be here, I know our limitations and I know what we can do and can’t do.”

On trying to topple the Heat:

“First of all, they’ve got the best player in the world. But they’re a tax team. They’ll spend a little bit more to get the players they want and they’ve got players that want to go there and play — pretty good players for a lot less money. That makes it tough, but that’s just part of the game. I’ve always said, the favorite is going to be the team that has the best player…. They deserve to be No. 1 until somebody takes ’em off that spot.”

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Eastern Notes: Humphries, Bucks, Griffin

October 7th, 2013 at 8:22am CST by Luke Adams

As preseason action gets underway and NBA teams adjust to new-look rosters, a few news items are trickling out of Eastern Conference camps. Let’s round up the latest….

  • Kris Humphries recognizes that he’ll be a trade candidate for the Celtics this season, but tells Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald that he won’t let that be a distraction as long as he’s in Boston. “If you worry about the future, then you lose focus on what you have to do today, and that’s basketball,” Humphries said. “Anyone can be traded at any time unless you have a no-trade clause. That’s what it is.”
  • In a piece for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Charles F. Gardner speaks to Bucks GM John Hammond about relying so heavily on free agency to build the team’s roster during the offseason.
  • With Eric Griffin looking good in camp, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel explores the Heat‘s options for keeping Griffin either on the NBA roster or on their D-League affiliate.
  • Chris Copeland didn’t go into free agency this past summer expecting to leave New York, but ended up signing with the Pacers for a handful of reasons, including his potential role, the team’s chance to win a title, and a raise in salary. Frank Isola of the New York Daily News has the details.
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Central Notes: Cavs, Granger, Zeller

October 5th, 2013 at 8:09pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Cavs went through their Wine & Gold scrimmage today and it appears No. 1 pick Anthony Bennett is struggling with his conditioning, reports the Akron Beacon Journal's Jason Lloyd. He was winded after playing just four minutes in the scrimmage.

The scrimmage ended early after second-year center Tyler Zeller took a nasty fall and Anderson Varejao landed him on, adds Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. Zeller suffered a strained left hip, which is not considered serious, but he was impressing coach Mike Brown before the scary fall.

Here's more on the Cavs and some notes on the Pacers' possible new sixth man while most fans are taking in all the early preseason action tonight…

  • Kyrie Irving dominated the Wine & Gold game writes Boyer, with some flashy moves on his way to scoring a game-high 17 points during the intra-squad scrimmage.
  • Bennett looks to be 10-15 pounds overweight writes the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Terry Pluto, echoing Lloyd's report from above. But Pluto also relays Brown's belief that Bennett has NBA 3-point range; although, he still needs to work on his defense.
  • Pacers coach Frank Vogel alluded to James Harden and Manu Ginobili when talking about the possibility of Danny Granger coming off the bench, tweets the Indianapolis Star's Candace Buckner. But she adds, via Twitter, that Granger would share starters' minutes with Lance Stephenson.

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Eastern Notes: Celtics, Raptors, Pacers, Heat

October 3rd, 2013 at 1:27pm CST by Luke Adams

With Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett now playing in Brooklyn, and Rajon Rondo still making his way back from an ACL injury, expectations aren't high for the Celtics in 2013/14. In fact, GM Danny Ainge tells Ian Thomsen of SI.com that he frequently hears from C's fans who want the team to lose games and pick up a top draft pick for 2014. Ainge suggests that fans hoping for losses should be careful what they wish for, and also says he doesn't believe there's necessarily a franchise-altering player in next year's draft.

"If Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was out there to change your franchise forever, or Tim Duncan was going to change your franchise for 15 years? That might be a different story," Ainge said. "I don't see that player out there."

Here's more from around the Eastern Conference:

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Central Notes: Billups, Bulls, Copeland

October 2nd, 2013 at 7:01pm CST by Michael Pina

A few notes from the Central Division.

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Central Rumors: Bucks, Stephenson, Jack, Diop

September 30th, 2013 at 9:01pm CST by Chuck Myron

Bucks owner Herb Kohl issued an ultimatum at the team's media day today, saying that the city must build a new arena to keep the team in town. "We're going to have both in the future or we're going to have neither," he said (link via The Sports Xchange).

Incoming commissioner Adam Silver recently said the BMO Harris Bradley Center, the team's home since the 1988/89 season, is too small and lacks the amenities necessary for an NBA team. City leaders have considered the idea of renovating their existing building as well as constructing a new one, but with Sacramento having held on to the Kings this year, it looks like Milwaukee is next in line for a fight to keep its team. Here's more on the Bucks and their Central Division rivals:

  • Pacers president Larry Bird acknowledges that it will be a financial challenge to keep Lance Stephenson after this season, when his bargain contract expires, but Bird says the team will do whatever it can to keep him, notes Scott Agness of Pacers.com.
  • Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio passes along comments that Cavs GM Chris Grant made to reporters on media day, including insight on the team's pursuit of Jarrett Jack. "We went into the offseason and knew we needed to get another guard," Grant said. "We also wanted someone with some leadership, some toughness, somebody that could and has made big shots, and somebody that’s played on a playoff team. Obviously, (Jack) fit all those categories."
  • The last time the Cavs acquired DeSagana Diop, they did so with the eighth overall pick in the 2001 draft. He's merely trying to make the team out of camp on this go-around, as Jodie Valade of The Plain Dealer examines.
  • The Bucks made a front office move, promoting director of player personnel Dave Babcock to vice president of player personnel, tweets Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times.

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