Odds & Ends: Lakers, Pierce, Austin
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak directly addressed questions about the team’s point guard situation and didn’t seem too confident about finding anyone on the free agent market who could play big rotation minutes immediately (Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles):
“I think for the time being we’re going to roll with what we’ve got…To find a player that doesn’t belong to somebody right now that can come in and play in front of (Kobe Bryant), in front of Xavier Henry), in front of (Jodie Meeks), it’s unlikely…But maybe there’s a player out there that we can take a look at…It’s a good time to perhaps look at a player, but I don’t think there’s somebody that we’re going to bring in and we’re going to start or is going to play big minutes.”
As it stands, the team doesn’t appear to have any immediate plans to add a point guard via trade, free agency, or D-League call up. Here’s more of tonight’s miscellaneous news and notes, including more from McMenamin’s piece:
- Ryan Lillis of the Sacramento Bee reports that mayor Kevin Johnson has launched a political campaign aimed at defeating a June ballot measure in Sacramento that would require voter approval of subsidies to sports arenas. The Kings are expected to play a role in the effort along with Johnson, although team president Chris Granger said the role hasn’t been decided yet.
- When specifically asked about Leandro Barbosa, as well as former Lakers Darius Morris and Chris Duhon, Kupchak said that they’re “all on the list” of players being considered.
- Whether or not the Lakers decide to make a move to address their backcourt issues, ESPN LA’s Ramona Shelburne gets the sense that they’ll look for the best available point guard and not necessarily put a priority on those with past familiarity of Mike D’Antoni’s system. She also makes note that the team still has luxury tax considerations to factor into their decision-making (All Twitter links).
- Clippers coach Doc Rivers weighed in on the Nets, saying he was disappointed in how the situation between Jason Kidd and Lawrence Frank developed, endorsed the idea that Paul Pierce would be willing to come off the bench, and suggested that Pierce still has plenty of basketball left in the tank beyond this season (All Twitter links).
- RealGM’s Jonathan Tjarks examines how Baylor center Isaiah Austin helped his draft stock after his 13-point/5-block performance against a highly touted Kentucky frontline that included Julius Randle, Willie Cauley-Stein, and Alex Poythress last week.
- ESPN’s J.A. Adande and Israel Gutierrez discuss ideas on how to correct competitive imbalance in the NBA.
Western Notes: Lakers, O’Neal, Rush
As we noted earlier, Lakers guard Kobe Bryant – who has started at the shooting guard and small forward position over his first two games back, respectively – will now be expected to handle point guard duties while the team’s whole rotation at point guard deals with injuries. His first test will come against Thunder guard Russell Westbrook on Friday, and while Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times isn’t so sure if Bryant will be up to that type of challenge this soon into his return, the team doesn’t seem to have much of a choice.
Here’s more out of the Western Conference:
- Although he listed some names expected to be on the Lakers’ radar earlier, Pincus also tweeted that as of now, the front office hasn’t decided on a course of action yet and will “tough it out” for the time being.
- While it’s not within our scope to focus on injury rumors, it’s still worth noting that Warriors big man Jermaine O’Neal is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery on Friday to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist, and a timetable for his return will be determined after the surgery, the team announced (Twitter links). However, Marcus Thompson of the Bay Area News Group tweets that the procedure would likely end the 35-year-old veteran’s season and career.
- Jazz guard Brandon Rush recently met with head coach Tyrone Corbin to hash out some of his frustrations about a lack of playing time, writes Aaron Falk of the Salt Lake Tribune: “It’s been really frustrating because I’ve worked hard…I wanted to be able to get some minutes and help the team out… (but) I had a good talk with Coach…He let me know what the deal was.” Corbin later told the media that he’s just trying to get Rush to play without apprehension.
- In another piece, Falk describes how Marvin Williams has been an invaluable role player for Utah when he’s been able to find court time.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Salmons, Bobcats
The Knicks were bent on injecting youth into their team, and they brought Josh Powell and Ike Diogu to camp with no intention of retaining them for opening night, no matter how well the two veterans played in preseason, a source tells Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck. For now, New York seems engaged in a pursuit of Kyle Lowry as it tries to unload Raymond Felton, who made Ben Golliver of SI.com‘s “All-Atrocious Team.” Here’s more from around the league:
- New Raptors small forward John Salmons is a “prime candidate” to be dealt again before the trade deadline, writes Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun, pointing to his de-facto expiring contract. No Raptors appear off-limits for a trade.
- The Bobcats released James Southerland on Wednesday, but not because the organization was disappointed with him, notes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. “He was brought in as a developmental player. We like him a lot,” coach Steve Clifford said. “Nothing he did he could have done better. We just needed someone more ready to play.” Charlotte signed veteran Chris Douglas-Roberts to replace Southerland.
- Pau Gasol hinted that there’s a chance he could sign an extension with the Lakers, during his recent interview with Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. The possibility of an in-season agreement has seemed like a long shot.
- A Prim Capital investor was found guilty of obstructing a grand jury investigation into the firm’s ties to the players union, reports Nate Raymond of Reuters. The son of former union executive director Billy Hunter has served as a Prim executive.
- Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports profiles freelance trainer Rob McClanaghan, who works with some of the NBA’s top players and has exerted influence on front office decision-making.
- Mark Deeks of ShamSports examines several free agents and D-Leaguers who could be on the radar of NBA teams in a piece for the Score, calling Drew Gooden perhaps the most talented among available big men. Deeks looked at guards on Wednesday.
Lakers To Target Leandro Barbosa, Other PGs
The Lakers announced that Steve Blake will miss at least six weeks with a torn ulnar ligament in his right elbow, and while GM Mitch Kupchak doesn’t expect to find a player worth signing, he’ll nonetheless look for one, tweets Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. Kupchak says players with ties to coach Mike D’Antoni, including Leandro Barbosa, Chris Duhon and Darius Morris, are among those the team will pursue, Pincus adds (via Twitter).
The injury to Blake leaves the Lakers without a healthy point guard, as Steve Nash and Jordan Farmar are also hurt. They plan to go with Kobe Bryant as the starter with Xavier Henry backing him up.
Barbosa is scorching the Brazilian league and appears fully recovered from his torn ACL, as Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes (Twitter link). Morris was supposed to work out with the Grizzlies this week, but Memphis appears to be looking in a different direction. There’s been little recent chatter about Duhon, who wasn’t in camp with an NBA team.
The Lakers have an open roster spot, so they wouldn’t have to waive anyone to sign a free agent. If they want to make a splashy trade, Kyle Lowry is available, but the Lakers aren’t among the teams that have reportedly been pursuing him.
Lakers Lead NBA In Expiring Contracts
Expiring contracts aren’t quite as coveted in trades as they used to be, in part because the shorter deals called for in the latest collective bargaining agreement makes them a plentiful commodity. They’re nonetheless useful trade chips as teams look to clear cap room for a star-studded 2014 free agent class.
The Lakers seem focused on pursuing free agents this summer, but if they had a change of plans and wanted to use some of their expiring contracts to trade for a player who could help them down the stretch this year, they have plenty to offer. They’re the only NBA team with as many as 10 expiring deals this year. Pau Gasol‘s nearly $19.3MM salary is the only expiring deal they have above $4MM, but they could package several of their small contracts for a trade if they wish.
The Trail Blazers are on the opposite end of the list, with just a pair of ending deals, both of which are for the minimum salary. If they start to falter after their hot start, they can’t look to expiring contracts to help them trade for an experienced hand.
This list includes de facto non-guaranteed players — those whose contracts aren’t fully guaranteed past this season — as well as players on deals that aren’t fully guaranteed this year or in subsequent seasons. It doesn’t include players who can’t be traded because they signed after November 19th, putting them within three months of the trade deadline. Teams can’t trade any player they sign for three months after the contract is finalized. Not all of the players below are immediately eligible to be traded, but all of them will become so before the deadline.
- Lakers (10): Pau Gasol, Steve Blake, Jordan Hill, Chris Kaman, Jodie Meeks, Jordan Farmar, Xavier Henry, Wesley Johnson, Shawne Williams, Ryan Kelly
- Jazz (9): Richard Jefferson, Andris Biedrins, Marvin Williams, Brandon Rush, Gordon Hayward, John Lucas III (de facto), Mike Harris, Ian Clark (non-guaranteed), Diante Garrett
- Raptors (9): John Salmons (de facto), Patrick Patterson, Greivis Vasquez, Amir Johnson (de facto), Kyle Lowry, Tyler Hansbrough (de facto), Austin Daye (de facto), Julyan Stone (non-guaranteed), Dwight Buycks (de facto)
- Wizards (9): Trevor Ariza, Marcin Gortat, Jan Vesely, Kevin Seraphin, Trevor Booker, Chris Singleton, Al Harrington, Garrett Temple, Glen Rice (de facto)
- Heat (8): Mario Chalmers, Shane Battier, Ray Allen, James Jones, Rashard Lewis, Michael Beasley, Roger Mason Jr., Greg Oden
- Magic (8): Hedo Turkoglu, Jameer Nelson (de facto), Jason Maxiell (de facto), Ronnie Price (de facto), Solomon Jones, E’Twaun Moore, Doron Lamb (de facto), Kyle O’Quinn (de facto)
- Mavericks (8): Dirk Nowitzki, Shawn Marion, Samuel Dalembert (de facto), Vince Carter, DeJuan Blair, Devin Harris, Jae Crowder (de facto), Bernard James
- Pelicans (8): Al-Farouq Aminu, Greg Stiemsma, Jason Smith, Darius Miller, Brian Roberts, Jeff Withey (de facto), Josh Childress, Louis Amundson
- Cavaliers (7): Andrew Bynum (non-guaranteed), Anderson Varejao (de facto), Earl Clark (de facto), Alonzo Gee (de facto), C.J. Miles, Henry Sims (non-guaranteed), Matthew Dellavedova (non-guaranteed)
- Hawks (7): Elton Brand, Gustavo Ayon, Jared Cunningham, Pero Antic (de facto), Shelvin Mack, Cartier Martin, Mike Scott
- Rockets (7): Ronnie Brewer (non-guaranteed), Omri Casspi (de facto), Chandler Parsons (de facto), Aaron Brooks, Greg Smith, Patrick Beverley (non-guaranteed), Robert Covington (de facto)
- 76ers (7): Evan Turner, Spencer Hawes, Lavoy Allen, James Anderson (de facto), Daniel Orton (non-guaranteed), Brandon Davies (non-guaranteed), Hollis Thompson (non-guaranteed)
- Bobcats (6): Ben Gordon, Ramon Sessions, Jeff Adrien, Jannero Pargo, Anthony Tolliver, Jeff Taylor (de facto)
- Celtics (6): Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans (de facto), Avery Bradley, Jordan Crawford, MarShon Brooks, Phil Pressey (de facto)
- Pacers (6): Danny Granger, Luis Scola (de facto), Lance Stephenson, Rasual Butler, Donald Sloan (de facto), Orlando Johnson (de facto)
- Pistons (6): Charlie Villanueva, Rodney Stuckey, Greg Monroe, Chauney Billups (de facto), Josh Harrellson (non-guaranteed), Peyton Siva (non-guaranteed)
- Suns (6): Emeka Okafor, Eric Bledsoe, Viacheslav Kravtsov, Ish Smith (de facto), P.J. Tucker, Dionte Christmas (non-guaranteed)
- Spurs (6): Tony Parker, Boris Diaw, Matt Bonner, Nando De Colo, Patrick Mills, Aron Baynes
- Bulls (5): Luol Deng, Kirk Hinrich, Mike James, Nazr Mohammed, Erik Murphy (non-guaranteed)
- Clippers (5): Jamal Crawford (de facto), Willie Green (de facto), Ryan Hollins, Antawn Jamison, Maalik Wayns
- Grizzlies (5): Ed Davis, Jerryd Bayless, Kosta Koufos (de facto), Mike Miller, Nick Calathes (de facto)
- Kings (5): Jimmer Fredette, Hamady N’Diaye, Isaiah Thomas, Aaron Gray, Quincy Acy (de facto)
- Knicks (5): Cole Aldrich, Kenyon Martin, Beno Udrih, Toure’ Murry, Chris Smith (de facto)
- Warriors (4): Jermaine O’Neal, Toney Douglas, Draymond Green (de facto), Kent Bazemore,
- Bucks (4): Caron Butler, Ekpe Udoh, Luke Ridnour, Khris Middleton (de facto)
- Nets (4): Paul Pierce, Shaun Livingston, Tornike Shengelia, Tyshawn Taylor
- Thunder (4): Thabo Sefolosha, Hasheem Thabeet (non-guaranteed), Derek Fisher, Ryan Gomes
- Nuggets (3): Andre Miller (de facto), Jordan Hamilton, Quincy Miller (de facto)
- Timberwolves (3): Dante Cunningham, A.J. Price, Robbie Hummel
- Trail Blazers (2): Earl Watson, Will Barton (de facto)
ShamSports was used in the creation of this post.
Pau Gasol On Free Agency, Grizzlies
Pau Gasol sat down with Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com and discussed his future with the Lakers. Although he made it clear he was interested in staying in Los Angeles, Gasol wouldn’t rule out the possibility of moving on to another club when he hits free agency this offseason:
“There’s different factors you have to take into account. The financial factor. That I’ve been with this franchise, for what I’ve been through, the loyalty I have to them. And also the chances of winning a championship. Those three are the most. What percentage I will give or prioritize, we’ll see when the opportunities come along. But I would like to first be in a position to win a championship again and enjoy the last few years of my career and be in a good position to do so.”
We’ve heard before that Gasol isn’t totally committed to staying in purple and gold so this statement don’t come as a huge surprise. What’s more intriguing is Gasol’s thoughts on the potential for a reunion with the Grizzlies:
“It’s appealing. One of the best centers in the NBA, one of the best interior players, is my brother [Marc Gasol]. There’s a lot of attractive factors there. But who knows if that’s even a possibility or if that will ever happen. Right now, I’m just trying to focus on (the Lakers’ opponents) and staying healthy and playing a very successful year so this team and others will have the certainty and the confidence that I am a difference maker, that I am an elite player and I have a lot of years in me.”
In a poll last week, most Hoops Rumors readers voted that they believed this would be Gasol’s final season in LA. The 33-year-old is playing below his career averages in most statistical areas and probably has his best playing days behind him. Still, Howard-Cooper is quick to point out that much of his appeal comes from intangible factors such as his vast playoff experience, and many teams will surely be interested in signing the 13-year veteran come next summer.
Steve Nash Acknowledges He May Not Play Again
Steve Nash‘s tenure with the Lakers hasn’t gone nearly as he expected it to, but recently he batted down a rumor that the nerve root irritation in his back was prompting him to consider retirement. Now Nash says he isn’t ruling out the possibility that his career is over, as Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News observes.
“I might not be able to play anymore,” Nash said. “I might have to yo-yo it. I might be able to play the rest of the way. Honestly right now, I’m trying to see if I can play the rest of the way.”
Nash has been taking his rehab at a slow pace in an effort not to have to “yo-yo” back and forth between the active and inactive lists. A setback in his recovery could mean trouble, but he knows that if he is going to play again, he’ll have to take a risk and “dance with the devil” sooner or later.
The two-time MVP called his recent troubles “a horrible 18 months for me,” as Medina notes, though his problems started just a little more than 13 months ago, when he fractured his leg in a game against the Blazers. Nash has said that he hasn’t felt the same since that injury, and he also suffered from back and hamstring problems last season, when he missed a combined 34 regular season and playoff games.
If Nash decides to quit, and NBA doctors were to rule him medically unable to play, the Lakers could be allowed to wipe the more than $19MM remaining on his contract from their books. Still, that’s a longshot even if Nash doesn’t return. The more likely scenario if Nash retires would involve the Lakers waiving him and using the Stretch Provision to defray his cost. Nash has repeatedly expressed a desire to play out his contract, which runs through next season, and it doesn’t sound like he’s ready to give up on that yet, even if he realizes he might have to at some point.
Poll: Is This Gasol’s Final Season With Lakers?
Pau Gasol was one of the most frequently mentioned trade candidates in 2012, but he stayed put, and such chatter has decreased considerably in 2013, even though he’s on an expiring contract this year. It doesn’t appear now as if the Lakers will part with Gasol this season, but the four-time All-Star may nonetheless be playing his final games in purple and gold.
Kobe Bryant‘s two-year, $48.5MM extension took quite a chunk out of the Lakers’ projected cap space for this summer, leaving room enough under the cap for one marquee, maximum-salary free agent along the lines of LeBron James or Carmelo Anthony, but little else. The Lakers have Gasol’s Bird Rights, so they can go over the cap to re-sign him if they want, but unless Gasol agrees to a pay cut soon after free agency begins, the Lakers would have to sacrifice those Bird rights in order to clear the cap space necessary to sign another team’s superstar. Gasol could make as much as $20,250,143 next season, so that salary will remain as a cap hold on the Lakers’ books until they either re-sign him at a cheaper salary or renounce his rights.
A pay cut seems inevitable for Gasol, who’s making nearly $19.3MM this season. Just how much he’ll have to sacrifice to remain with the Lakers is a matter of debate. Gasol has said already this season that he’d love to stay with the team, a stance he reiterated recently to Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today. He’s said he’ll prioritize more than just money as a free agent, and he’s close with Bryant, who wrote the foreword for his new book. Still, he acknowledges there are plenty of unknowns. Gasol could sign an extension, but he and the Lakers haven’t talked about it and it seems a long shot at best. Both sides appear willing to let free agency happen, leaving open the possibility that he could play for another team.
Gasol is 33, and his best years may be behind him, but he’s still one of the best and most versatile big men in the game. The challenge for the Lakers and the Arn Tellem client appears to be settling on a fair value for his services. Let us know whether you think they’ll come to an agreement or go their separate ways before next season. Feel free to elaborate in the comments.
Is This Pau Gasol's Last Year With The Lakers?
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Yes 74% (656)
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No 26% (226)
Total votes: 882
Odds & Ends: Bryant, Rose, Crawford, Hawes
Kobe Bryant took to Facebook to announce he will make his long awaited season debut this Sunday, rejoining the Lakers to face the Raptors in Los Angeles. Bryant has been sidelined since last April but that didn’t stop him from signing a controversial $48.5MM extension late in November. Here are a couple more tidbits from Friday afternoon:
- Recently injured Bulls superstar Derrick Rose has yet to decide whether or not he will play for Team USA in the 2014 FIBA World Cup. “I haven’t really thought about it,” Rose said. “That would be a good idea, but if I’m not ready, there’s no need.” The Bulls have said they would support him playing in the FIBA World Cup if it aided in his rehabilitation process. K.C. Johnson from the Chicago Tribune has the details.
- Trading Jordan Crawford represents an alternative to dealing away Rajon Rondo if the Celtics are adamant about deflating this season’s record and pursuing a high draft pick, as Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com examines in an Insider piece.
- Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News figures Spencer Hawes will see $8MM in annual salary on his next contract if he maintains his performance from the first month of the season.
- Kenny Kadji has inked a deal to play in Germany with the New Yorker Phantoms, notes Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. Kadji went undrafted out of the University of Miami and failed to make the Cavaliers‘ opening day roster out of training camp.
- Dale Kasler from the Sacramento Bee has the latest on the Kings’ project for a new arena. City officials will vote on whether or not to suspend bid requirements for the arena, saying competitive-bid procedures will impede the current construction schedule. Kasler points out that if the construction falls behind more than one year, the NBA reserves the right to relocate the Kings from Sacramento.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Kobe On Training, Contract, Lakers
Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant revealed that he’s been doing some additional under-the-radar training during his rehab and commented about the negative reaction to his contract extension with Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles. Earlier this evening, McMenamin relayed some of his noteworthy comments, and you can find some of the highlights below:
On his additional secretive training:
“My training has no time restrictions in terms of when I do them,” Bryant said. “I can do them at 2 o’clock in the morning, 3 o’clock, it doesn’t matter. You just got to do them. The blackout is very intense. It’s a huge commitment. It’s 6-in-the-morning stuff and then take the kids to school and then go do another session with weights and shooting and practice, and then after that do some more practice. It’s an ongoing thing, and throughout all of that you have to take care of your body and take care of the knickknack injuries that may arise. It’s intense, but it’s fun.”
On those who questioned his two-year, $48.5MM extension:
“Fans have the right to have those concerns. I urge caution in thinking that they know more about cap than the Lakers’ management does in terms of what they can and can’t do. But we sat down and discussed this. This is something that was important to me, being able to find the balance between something that’s fair from a business perspective as well as winning. Because as athletes, we have to wear both hats. You have to. You can’t trade one for the other. But we sat down and they went through Option A, Option B, Option C, and I wanted to know all of them and feel very comfortable with that.”
On if the Lakers currently have a championship plan in place:
“For sure. Oh, for sure. We’re not just making decisions blindly. I don’t, and they don’t either, for sure.”