Pacific Notes: Cousins, Warriors, Brooks
The Pacific Division's top two teams are both in action at Staples Center today, and if the first-place Lakers get upset by the Hornets the afternoon and the Clippers beat the Jazz tonight, there will be a tie atop the division. Here's the rest of the news from the West Coast:
- The Kings picked up DeMarcus Cousins' $3.88MM option for 2012/13 this past offseason, and the investment looks smarter as the center matures and develops, writes Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee.
- Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com criticizes the Warriors' approach to the season, reasoning that the caliber of player the team is likely to get in the draft probably won't be enough to make Golden State a contender.
- Suns GM Lance Blanks blogged about his trip to China to see Aaron Brooks for Suns.com. Blanks' comment that Brooks is "eager to get back home to the States, see his family and begin his off season training to prepare himself for a return to NBA" seems to indicate that the point guard will not play in the league this season, and instead test restricted free agency this summer. The Suns hold the right to match any offer Brooks gets.
- The Clippers have started winning again, but the heat is still on coach Vinny Del Negro, writes Sam Amick of SI.com. Amick says Del Negro has been told to heighten the team's offensive pace, get them to play more aggressive defense, and regard stars and role players with the same level of scrutiny.
- The Kings, who've signed Terrence Williams for the rest of the season, have quickly come to trust him in the 10 days he's spent with the team, giving the former 11th overall pick key fourth-quarter minutes, notes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
Odds & Ends: Smith, Kidd, Van Gundy, Thibodeau
Linkage from around the Association..
- Jason Fleming of HoopsWorld wonders if the teams that have yet to use the amensty provision will pull the trigger this summer and looks at some potential candidates.
- Hawks forward Josh Smith had some rough patches with Mike Woodson in Atlanta but says that he's happy for his former coach's success with the Knicks, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday.
- Sources close to Jason Kidd told Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that the guard wouldn't be opposed to staying with the Mavericks next season in a reduced role. Kidd also told Kennedy that he would someday like to become a general manager.
- More from Kennedy as a growing number of people within the Magic organization believe that Stan Van Gundy will quit after this season, mainly because he doesn’t want deal with the Dwight Howard circus again next season.
- ESPN's Chris Broussard (video link) could see former Knicks coach Mike D'Antoni possibly landing with the Clippers and has also heard his name linked to the Wizards.
- Pacers guard George Hill says that he was emotional when he first learned of the trade that sent him from the Spurs to Indiana, writes Mike Monroe of the Express-News. Hill, 25, is averaging 9.4 points in 23.9 minutes per contest this season.
- The Bulls players hope to see coach Tom Thibodeau get the contract extension that he seeks, writes Teddy Greenstein of the Chicago Tribune.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun-Sentinel thinks that the Heat should use their $3MM mid-level exception this summer to add a big man.
Odds & Ends: Clippers, Bobcats, Horford
With 12 games on the docket, let's round up links from around the league on this Friday night:
- In an insider piece, ESPN's John Hollinger takes a look at what he calls a flawed Clippers' roster. While Vinny Del Negro is taking most of the heat for the team's recent struggles, Hollinger says that poor defense and the lack of a true wing player to go with Chris Paul and Blake Griffin are the true culprits.
- In the same story, Hollinger says the Bobcats coach Paul Silas has let his son, Stephen Silas, run the team on certain nights and that nepotism is rampant in the NBA. Situations like the one in Charlotte enable guys like Stephen to build their resumes in hopes of landing a bigger job.
- Hawks' beat writer Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta-Journal Constitution tweets that injured center Al Horford has been cleared for weight work and while he may be able to return for the playoffs, would not be at full strength. Horford has surgery to repair a torn pectoral in January.
Stein On Wilson Chandler, Coaching Rumors
In his latest Weekend Dime, ESPN.com's Marc Stein says that Wilson Chandler's long-term deal with the Nuggets isn't worth quite as much as had been previously reported. According to Stein, the contract is for $31.7MM in total, starting at $5.5MM this season and topping out at $7.2MM in 2015/16. Only $2MM of that final season is guaranteed, Stein adds.
The rest of Stein's rumors this week revolve around coaching positions, so let's dive in….
- The Bulls hold a team option on Tom Thibodeau for next season, but the Chicago coach is "dismayed" that he hasn't been offered a lucrative contract extension, according to Stein. Stein hears that Thibodeau's displeasure with his contract situation is an "open secret in team circles."
- Mike Woodson is increasingly hopeful of keeping the Knicks coaching job, though if Phil Jackson expressed interest in the position, rival teams assume James Dolan would do whatever it takes to sign the Zen Master.
- The Clippers may be in the market for a new coach this summer, ideally one who could convince Chris Paul and Blake Griffin to remain in Los Angeles long-term.
- If Stan Van Gundy were to be replaced as the Magic coach, Nate McMillan appears to be the top candidate, says Stein.
- Stein spoke to "[John] Calipari experts," who suggested the Wildcats coach may not be inclined to give up his power and prestige at Kentucky to coach in the NBA.
Odds & Ends: Clippers, Ewing, Bulls, Sixers
As the Wizards take on the Pacers in the first of four Thursday night games, let's take a look around the league to see what's happening from coast to coast.
- DeAndre Jordan has embraced the heightened expectations surrounding the Clippers and understands the resiliency needed to overcome setbacks such as a recent three-game losing streak, writes Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. Instead of letting the downturn ruin their season, the Clippers responded by winning three in a row.
- If Mike Woodson isn't the long-term answer for the Knicks, Magic assistant coach Patrick Ewing wants to throw his name into the mix as the next head coach at Madison Square Garden, but may not have history on his side, says Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida. As a 7-footer, Ewing would become only the seventh head coach in NBA history with a height of 6-foot-10 or taller.
- While much of the Bulls' success stems from stellar play by their stars, a growing phenomenon dubbed the 'Bench Mob' has aided in the team's success, reports K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Taj Gibson and Omer Asik are among a group of Bulls bench players who have stepped up their play to help close out games.
- A major reason for the Sixers' strong season stems from their ability to beat lesser teams, writes Marc Narducci of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The squad is 18-5 on the season against sub .500 teams, which currently places as the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately for the Sixers, an inability to beat quality teams may spell an early end to their season come playoff time.
Minor Moves: Leslie, Walker, Williams
We'll track the day's notable international and D-League-related transactions here:
- The Clippers have re-assigned Travis Leslie to their D-League affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam, tweets Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside. It's Leslie's second assignment of the season.
- The D-League's Idaho Stampede will re-sign Antoine Walker today, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The Stampede released Walker last week to allow him to tend to a personal matter, intending to bring him back.
- Former NBA big man Justin Williams will join the D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders, according to Sam Amick of SI.com (via Twitter). Williams played 49 career NBA games from 2006 to 2008, 48 for the Kings and a single game for the Rockets, averaging 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per game.
Sterling: “Everything Is Good” With Del Negro
Speaking before his team's win over New Orleans last night, Clippers owner Donald Sterling said he hasn't given any thought to making a coaching change, according to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times. While recent reports have suggested Vinny Del Negro could be let go any day, Sterling expects Del Negro to continue coaching the team for the remainder of the season.
"I like him," Sterling said. "I usually follow the advice of my people, and I think they care for him, like him and want him to succeed. And I think he will…. Would I like more wins? I'd like more. I'd like the players to develop more; I'd like to play better. But then I have great expectations, and to a certain extent they've been realized. To some extent they haven't, but I'm a patient guy."
ESPN.com's Chris Broussard reported last week that tensions were high in the Clippers' locker room, and that Del Negro had lost the team. Sterling insisted he didn't know where those rumors were coming from, saying "everything is good." GM Neil Olshey also downplayed the report, though he acknowledged the team's recent slide made questions about a coaching change inevitable.
"It would be crazy to say when you lose 12 out of 19 that the thought doesn't come through your mind. You'd have to be oblivious," Olshey said. "But the good always outweighs the bad with Vinny. He works his butt off, the players like him, and they're competing.
"I see absolutely no reason why there would be a coaching change based on where the guys are now," Olshey continued. "I think everybody built us up into something because we got out to such a great start and the minute we didn't live up to it for a short period of time everyone wanted to act like the Apocalypse was upon us."
While Del Negro's job status was the main focus of Simers' piece, Sterling also heaped praise on core players Chris Paul and Blake Griffin, vowing to keep them in Los Angeles long-term: "Chris Paul will be with me for a lifetime. And Blake will too. I'm not going to ever let these guys go. They are max players, and so you're going to pay that and keep them."
Clippers Sign Bobby Simmons For Rest Of Season
The Clippers announced that they have re-signed free agent forward Bobby Simmons, whose second ten-day contract expired on March 18. Los Angeles decided to make the commitment after an MRI on Mo Williams' injured big toe ruled him out for Saturday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies, writes Arash Markazi of ESPN.com.
Simmons, 31, has averaged 3.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per contest in 13 games for the Clippers this season.
Southwest Rumors: Azubuike, Carlisle, Diaw
The defending Southwest Division champs met the defending NBA champs tonight, with the first-place Spurs coming away with a 104-87 win, padding their lead as they seek a second straight division title. Here's more on two of the Southwest's top teams:
- Mavs owner Mark Cuban thinks his team's signing of Kelenna Azubuike will be a steal if his knee holds up, according to Mavs.com writer Earl K. Sneed. Cuban isn't sure if Azubuike will help the team this year, but has his eyes on the future, calling the team option for the second year "pretty much a lock" to be exercised (All Twitter links).
- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle didn't respond to questions about his future when asked about his contract, which expires at the end of the year, on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM’s Galloway and Company. While Mavs GM Donnie Nelson indicated that the team intends to retain the coach, Tim McMahon of ESPN Dallas cites rumors linking Carlisle to the Blazers and suggests the Knicks and Clippers as possible destinations.
- The recent moves the Spurs have made aren't surprising to Carlisle, who's particularly intrigued by the acquisition of Patrick Mills and Boris Diaw, Tim Griffin of the Express-News writes.
- Diaw had to wait a week to sign with the Spurs because of visa issues, but he's been waiting much longer to fulfill his childhood dream of playing with fellow frenchman Tony Parker, according to Griffin. Diaw is Parker's best friend in the NBA, but the point guard didn't push the team to sign his buddy.
- ESPN's Marc Stein spoke with new Spur Stephen Jackson, who shared some revelations about his time with the Bucks and says he "never should have left" San Antonio after 2003.
Pacific Notes: Smith, Sessions, Hickson, Kings
Jason Smith's flagrant foul on Blake Griffin last night didn't sit well with the Clippers and will almost certainly result in a suspension for the Hornets big man. However, ESPN.com's Marc Stein writes that the Clippers might owe Smith a thank you for his role in December's Chris Paul saga.
According to Stein, Smith rejected a sign-and-trade offer that would have made him part of the original three-way Paul trade between the Hornets, Rockets, and Lakers for salary purposes. While David Stern could have ultimately nixed the proposed Paul-to-the-Lakers deal regardless of Smith's involvement, the 26-year-old may have played a small part in Paul eventually heading to L.A.'s other team.
Here are a few more Friday odds and ends out of the Pacific Division:
- Some of Ramon Sessions' new teammates expect him to decline his 2012/13 player option, says Mike Breshanan of the Los Angeles Times. Sessions' agent Jared Karnes says no decision has been made yet, but that his client was excited to have joined the Lakers: "It's a great fit for Ramon and when it's appropriate, we'll discuss his future and make a decision."
- J.J. Hickson was dressed in Warriors gear, preparing to shoot around with the team, when he found out he'd been claimed off waivers by the Trail Blazers, writes Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- Kings coach Keith Smart discussed Terrence Williams' potential role with the team, and said the decision on when Tyreke Evans would return to the starting lineup is in Evans' hands. Matt Kawahara of the Sacramento Bee has the details.