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Odds & Ends: LeBron/Cavs, Wafer, Harrington

March 21st, 2013 at 7:00pm CST by Ryan Raroque

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.

Poll: Western Conference Playoff Matchups

March 21st, 2013 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

Heading into tonight's action, the Spurs and Thunder look fairly safe as the top two seeds in the Western Conference. The Spurs have a five and a half game lead on the third-place Grizzlies, while the Thunder remain three games up on the Grizz, even after last night's loss in Memphis.

However, the last several weeks of the season figure to provide a very entertaining race for the No. 3 seed in the West. While the Grizzlies (46-21) currently hold the spot, it's only by percentage points over the Clippers (47-22) and Nuggets (47-22). All three teams are nine and a half games ahead of the sixth-place Warriors.

While the race for the third seed hasn't received as much coverage as the battle for the eighth seed, it figures to be crucial for a team's chances of getting out of the first round. For instance, if the Grizzlies hold onto the third spot, they would host a playoff series against an opponent like the Warriors and Rockets, rather than having to go up against the Clippers and Nuggets right away.

With five Western teams seemingly head and shoulders above the rest of the conference, at least two of those elite clubs will have to play one another in the first round. The Thunder and Spurs almost certainly won't be involved, so which of the other three potential matchups would intrigue you most? A rematch of last year's first-round series between the Grizzlies and Clippers? Or a series involving an entertaining Nuggets team that has won its last 13 games? Weigh in below!

Which Western Conference first round matchup would you most like to see?

Los Angeles Clippers vs. Denver Nuggets 60.10% (244 votes)

Memphis Grizzlies vs. Los Angeles Clippers 20.20% (82 votes)

Denver Nuggets vs. Memphis Grizzlies 19.70% (80 votes)

Total Votes: 406

Clippers Re-Sign Maalik Wayns

March 19th, 2013 at 12:45pm CST by Luke Adams

The Clippers have re-signed Maalik Wayns to a second 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release. Wayns' original deal with the Clips expired last night.

Wayns, 21, appeared in just one game for the Clippers during his first 10 days with the club, recording five assists in 11 minutes in a blowout win over the Pistons. The rookie, who went undrafted last June, was signed as a free agent by the 76ers and played 21 games for the team before finding his way to Los Angeles.

The Clippers currently have 13 players on guaranteed contracts, with Wayns and DaJuan Summers on 10-day deals. The team will have the chance to re-sign Summers to a second 10-day contract when his deal expires next week, but will have to sign Wayns for the season or let him go when his new 10-day is up.

Pacific Notes: Warriors, Jackson, Thompson, Paul

March 18th, 2013 at 5:55pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's a look at some notes out of the Pacific Division..

Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News asked Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob if he will consider an extension for coach Mark Jackson and the owner said that it has yet to be discussed and won't be looked at until after the season. Jackson is set to enter the final year of his initial three-year pact in 2013/14.
The biggest statement about the Warriors' non-interest in James Harden is that they are very, very high on Klay Thompson, tweets Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com. Last week, Kawakami explained why a proposed swap involving Harden and Thompson would have been impossible over the summer.
Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops has his top free agents for next summer and it's little suprise to see the Lakers' Dwight Howard and the Clippers' Chris Paul at the top of the list. Even though the Clips have bent over backwards to appease Paul, he hasn't publicly endorsed a return to L.A.

Atlantic Links: Blatche, Kenyon, Celtics, Bynum

March 17th, 2013 at 11:00am CST by Chuck Myron

We passed along word of the Knicks' interest in Timofey Mozgov already today, and there's still more news out of the Atlantic Division. We've got it covered right here:

Andray Blatche hinted earlier this week that he might be willing to re-sign the Nets this summer at a discount, and he followed up by clearly expressing his desire to return to Brooklyn in comments to Mike Mazzeo of ESPNNewYork.com. "Most definitely," Blatche said. "I love it here. We've got a great team here, a great staff. The fans are crazy. I mean, everything about this organization is great, so hopefully I can come back. I feel like this is my new home, now, really. I feel comfortable with everything that's going on."
Kenyon Martin thought he deserved another shot with the Clippers after he served the team off the bench last season, but Mike Woodson is glad to have him around on the shorthanded Knicks, observes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
Shavlik Randolph and D.J. White have no idea whether the Celtics will keep them for the rest of the season when their second 10-day contracts expire this week, but with their playing time limited, Randolph believes the team will judge them based mostly on what they did before arriving in Boston. Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe has the details.
Randolph got a rare opportunity to contribute last night against the Bobcats, and his performance, which drew raves from coach Celtics coach Doc Rivers. That helped his case for remaining with the team for the rest of the season, opines Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News believes LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh will remain in Miami after 2014, when they have the opportunity to become free agents. That will keep the Heat on top for years to come, Smallwood writes, arguing that there's no use in re-signing Andrew Bynum for the Sixers, who won't realistically challenge for a title with or without him.

Odds & Ends: Pistons, Stern, Clippers, Summers

March 16th, 2013 at 9:29am CST by Zachary Links

Last night in Indiana, Kobe Bryant was only in action for a total of 12 minutes, but it was enough to give the Lakers a 99-93 road win. The star guard tried to tough it out on his swollen ankle but ultimately wasn't able to stay in the game. Bryant wouldn't just go into the locker room and call it a night, however, as he shouted instructions to his teammates and even busted out the clipboard at one point for Dwight Howard. Here's more from around the Association..

In pieces for CBSSports.com and HoopsWorld, respectively, Ken Berger and Lang Greene highlight a number of lottery teams, examining the direction those clubs may take this summer. Berger likes the Pistons' core of Andre Drummond, Greg Monroe, and Brandon Knight. The last time Detroit had cap room, they wasted it on Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, but Berger expects them to be much smarter about it this time around.
David Stern's nearly 30-year reign as commissioner has benefited from the proliferation of dynasties and superteams, opines former NBA center Danny Schayes, writing for SheridanHoops.com.
The Clippers' DaJuan Summers is looking to make the most of his third stop in the NBA, writes Eric Patten of NBA.com. The 25-year-old former Georgetown standout is the second youngster the Clippers have brought aboard in the last week. Guard Maalik Wayns was signed to a ten-day contract on March 9, and Summers was brought in Friday after second-year forward Trey Thompkins was waived.

Clippers Sign DaJuan Summers

March 15th, 2013 at 12:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

FRIDAY, 12:39pm: The Clippers have officially signed Summers to a 10-day contract, the team announced today in a press release.

THURSDAY, 6:53pm: Summers will join the Clippers tomorrow, according to Shelburne (Twitter link).

6:31pm: The Clippers will indeed sign Summers, a source tells Kennedy (Twitter link). Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets further confirmation.

6:14pm: The Clippers plan to sign DaJuan Summers out of the D-League, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports (Twitter link). After the team waived Trey Thompkins this afternoon a move appeared imminent, as Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld noted via Twitter that the Clippers would likely fill the roster spot. Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com heard the team was after a "youngish point guard," but it appears they're going in a different direction with Summers, a 6'8" forward.

Summers, 25, is averaging 18.0 points and 7.6 rebounds a game over 29 contests for the Maine Red Claws this year. He appeared in 15 games with the Hornets last season after spending two seasons with the Pistons, who made him the 35th overall pick in the 2009 draft. The Georgetown product was in camp with the Bobcats this past fall, and drew interest from Panathinaikos of Greece before opting to go to the D-League.

Terms of Summers' pending deal are unclear, but I'd guess he'll be on a 10-day contract, just like soon-to-be Clippers teammate Maalik Wayns. Since he hasn't been on another NBA team's roster during the regular season this year, Summers would be eligible for the playoffs if the Clippers keep him around for the rest of the season, as Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors detailed.

Clippers Waive Trey Thompkins

March 14th, 2013 at 4:59pm CST by Luke Adams

4:59pm: Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com is hearing that the Clippers opened up a roster spot because they want to sign a "youngish point guard" (Twitter link).

3:06pm: The Clippers have released big man Trey Thompkins, the team announced today in a press release. Taking into account Maalik Wayns, who is on a 10-day contract, the team had been carrying 15 players, so the move opens up a roster spot.

"We want to thank Trey for his contribution to the Clippers," Clippers head coach Vinny Del Negro said in the release. "Unfortunately, he was never able to truly showcase his talents this season due to injuries. We wish him all the best and believe he has a bright future."

Thompkins, 22, has been sidelined for the entire 2012/13 season with what we heard was a bone bruise in his left knee. The Georgia product appeared in 24 games last season for the Clippers after being drafted by the team 37th overall in the 2011 draft. He had a non-guaranteed season on his deal for 2013/14, but it appears the team either knew it wouldn't be bringing him back or wanted to open up a roster spot for another signing — or both.

Assuming Thompkins clears waivers, the Clippers will be on the hook for the remainder of his minimum salary for '12/13.

Pacific Notes: Lakers, Clippers, Kings, Seattle

March 11th, 2013 at 8:48pm CST by Zachary Links

Last season, Stan Van Gundy went viral when he told reporters that Dwight Howard was pushing the Magic front office to fire him before leaving the big man to face the scrum all by himself. One would assume that the outspoken coach and the Lakers star are not on speaking terms, but that's not the case, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. "We never stopped communicating even if there have been times he was very angry with me," Van Gundy said. "Dwight and I may not have always seen eye to eye. But I think there is mutual respect." More on the Lakers and the rest of the Pacific..

Maalik Wayns is looking to make the most of his time with the Clippers, writes Eric Patten of NBA.com. You can keep up with all of this year's 10-day deals with our handy 10-day contract tracker.
Chris Hansen, the prospective owner of the Kings, is calling on fans in Seattle to sign up for a "priority ticket waitlist" as a way to show the NBA how much interest there is in bringing pro basketball back to the area, according to the Associated Press. Commissioner David Stern said last week that Hansen's group currently has a significantly larger bid on the table than the competing Sacramento group.
Howard will return to Orlando on Tuesday night and Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun isn't sure if the Lakers star has the mental toughness to thrive in that environment.

Los Angeles Notes: Clark, Dwight, Clippers

March 9th, 2013 at 10:26pm CST by Ryan Raroque

To say that the Lakers' season has been a roller coaster ride would be an understatement, and with a 7-2 record over their last nine games amidst a strong push for a spot in the Western Conference playoff picture, the purple and gold faithful have reason to hope that the car keeps climbing up. However, one of the biggest pleasant surprises seems to have hit a slump, as ESPN Los Angeles' Ramona Shelburne notes that Earl Clark has only reached double figure scoring once in the team's last seven games. We have a few links to share out of Los Angeles tonight, and you can find them below:

Chauncey Billups opens up about the adjustments that he's had to make with the Clippers, from moving to shooting guard and returning from an achilles injury (Broderick Turner of the LA Times).
Although he's had his share of struggles from the free throw line, Dwight Howard is too valuable in other areas of the game to be kept off the court during crunch time, opines Janis Carr of the OC Register.
Howard tells Eric Pincus of the LA Times about what he's learned by playing alongside Kobe Bryant, particularly about getting over his fear of missing shots and improving off the court habits. "I think this is a blessing for me, to experience the stuff that I've experienced this year. It's just going to make me a better man and a better player…Just from watching Kobe — this has been great for me. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Defending the three point line has been a glaring concern for the Clippers, who may find themselves unable to advance in the playoffs if things don't change, writes Arash Markazi of ESPN Los Angeles.
Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer notes the importance of the Lakers making the playoffs for the Cavaliers, as Cleveland will have the option of swapping Miami's first round pick with the Lakers' if it falls out of the lottery.