Pacific Links: Granger, Lakers, Nunnally, Kings
Kings team president Chris Granger had been a candidate to succeed Adam Silver as NBA deputy commissioner before he accepted the Sacramento job this summer, Kings owner Vivek Ranadive revealed, reports Dale Kasler of The Sacramento Bee. Granger told a gathering of Sacramento business leaders that the city's longstanding support of the Kings weighed heavily on the league as it debated letting the club leave for Seattle. There's more from the Kings among the latest from the Pacific Division:
- Jordan Farmar agreed to a minimum-salary contract with the Lakers on July 10th, and his longstanding friendship with Nick Young inspired Young to do the same the very next day, as Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times examines.
- The Suns treated James Nunnally well during a two-day tryout last month, and that led the sought-after camp invitee to choose Phoenix, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Nunnally is confident about his chances of making the team.
- Plenty of uncertainty surrounds Jimmer Fredette, a trade candidate whose 2014/15 team option is not certain to be picked up by the deadline at the end of this month. Ailene Voisin of The Sacramento Bee looks at how the new Kings regime views the third-year guard.
Pacific Notes: Afflalo, Kobe, Gortat, Lakers, Suns
Players who are oft featured on Hoops Rumors, like the Lakers' Pau Gasol, can attest to the fact that trade rumors can negatively impact your on-court performance. Magic guard Arron Afflalo was in headlines for a good portion of the summer as it was rumored he would be in a deal sending him to the Clippers for Eric Bledsoe. However, the talk didn't bother the 27-year-old at all, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. "I've seen a lot of trades go down within my own NBA circle with my team, whether I was in Detroit or Denver," Afflalo said. "It's part of the game. It's part of the business. At the end of the day, I'm very, very blessed to play this game no matter where I'm playing, and I'm proud of that. "You just have to be professional with those things. As long as you're wearing this Magic uniform, you give it your best." Here's more out of the Pacific Division..
- Sean Deveney of the Sporting News wonders if Kobe Bryant will take a paycut for the Lakers' benefit. There is room for middle ground between Kobe asking for another deal with a $30MM salary and a bargain basement deal. A deal paying Bryant about $20MM wouldn't allow the Lakers to sign two max players in the 2014 offseason, but it would give them enough breathing room to get one max player plus someone else in the $10MM range.
- Suns center Marcin Gortat will have to fight to keep his job thanks to the additions of No. 5 overall pick Alex Len and Miles Plumlee, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. Len's ankle issues could be an issue, but coach Jeff Hornacek says he's doing great. “Alex has done a great job of pushing through this,” Hornacek said. “For a ‘big’ that size and as much as we want to run, that gets tough. He’s winded quite a bit and that affects some of his shots when he does get the ball inside but he’s had some nice moves. He’s working every day to get better. I think he’s improved, obviously with conditioning, over these four days but also with being able to pick up the offense.”
- Are the aging Lakers better than the new-look Warriors? Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times pits them against each other. The verdict: the Warriors will probably win 50 games with a shot at 55 while the Lakers look like a team in the 40-50 range with a lot depending on the health of Kobe Bryant.
Chris Kaman On Lakers, Clippers, Kobe
There have been a handful of players in recent seasons to go from one corner of the Staples Center to the other and the latest is center Chris Kaman. After eight years with the Clippers and stops in New Orleans and Dallas, the veteran is back in Los Angeles, but this time he's in purple and gold. The 31-year-old sat down with Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com this week to discuss his journey, his experience playing for both L.A. teams, and his unreal draft class. Here are some of the highlights..
On the differences between the Lakers experience and the Clippers experience:
I would say they [the Clippers] do a decent job of taking care of their players. I went to Dallas, which everybody knows is one of the best, so I can't say the best but they do a good job of taking care of their players. They've come a long ways since when I started and when I ended.
With the Lakers, they do a great job of taking care of their players. It's a first-rate organization. When teams have won like they have — this team, the Celtics, the Mavericks, all the different teams that are successful like that — I think there's something about them. The aura around the whole team and the organization is different. Everything changes. Here, everything is a little bit more professional, I guess I would say is the word I would use. Without being disrespectful to the Clippers, I think this is a little bit more professional of an organization. Now, the Clippers have turned things around and I think with Doc [Rivers] there and the changes in some cast members, I think they're going to be pretty solid as well.
How would you stack the 2003 draft class against 1984 and 1996?
Those are some good draft classes though, you know? But there's some other guys that people don't even realize [from 2003]. Jarvis Hayes had a decent career. David West was in there. Josh Howard was in there. I was in there. Kirk Hinrich's in there. Nick Collison. Luke Ridnour. There's some guys that people don't realize, and there's some guys in the second round. There's a couple [other] guys — [Marquis] Daniels had a solid first part of his career. Maurice Williams. There's other guys, I can't even think of them all, but if you look at the list it will be surprising to you how many good players that are in that draft class and guys that are still playing in this league and still getting it done.
The [1996] draft class was good because you got to give them credit with Allen Iverson, Marcus Camby, there's some other great players with Ray Allen, Steve Nash, Kobe. So, I mean, it's hard to say. But, if you look at it, we've got LeBron who's won the MVP multiple times, Chris Bosh, Dwyane Wade and LeBron and the Miami Heat won rings, two of them. Kobe's got five [rings], Ray Allen's got a few. I don't know. It's tough. That's a tough call. I think overall dominance, we got to wait and see what happens with LeBron and Wade and Bosh down there in Miami. If they get another ring this year, then what does that say? Where does that put them? Where does that put LeBron? I don't know.
On Kobe Bryant:
I always hated him. When you play against a guy like him, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, you don't like them because they're so competitive. I respect that, but I don't like playing against them. But when you're on their team, it's a whole different story. You love the people. They're good guys. Kobe, he's just been working hard trying to get himself ready. He comes to practice and he works his butt off. I respect that as well. I'm excited for him to play. I'm hoping sooner than later.
When do you expect to find out if you'll be starting or coming off the bench?
I don't know. That's a good question too because I'm sure there's some games where you play teams that have bigger lineups. Some teams run two big guys. Some teams run a big guy and a small guy, like if you go with the Knicks, they got [Tyson] Chandler and then they usually got Melo at the four, so obviously that's not a good game for me to be in the starting lineup unless they're willing to match up, or whatever. I think coach, he's going to have a make a decision on the different games and different situations. I think there's some games that I'll benefit the team starting. But, I don't know what's going to happen. I could come off the bench or I could start. I've done both last year in Dallas.
How would you rate this current Lakers team?
It's hard to tell right now, but I think we're going to be better than people think. I think we have a better team mentality than they had last year. I think the chemistry is going to better. I think guys really, truly want to be playing with each other and be in the same locker room with each other. It's not like, 'When can I get out of here?' I think that's going to help and I think we got a good, early start having all the guys here this summer for the most part. All that plays into it. And then obviously, when we get Kobe back, that's going to help us tenfold.
Training Camp Notes: Kobe, Marion, Price, Dedmon
Kobe Bryant will be heading back to Germany over the next several days to have platelet-rich plasma therapy treatment on his right knee, which is the same procedure that the Lakers superstar underwent in 2011 and credited with rejuvenating his career (Adrian Wojnarowski and Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports). One source tells Wojnarowski and Spears that the thinking behind pushing back the procedure until now is to give Kobe maximum benefit once he's able to return to action this season. Here's some more of the buzz coming from NBA training camps this evening:
- Mavericks forward Shawn Marion will become a free agent after this upcoming season, but there's no guarantee that the 35-year-old will continue his playing career beyond 2014, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
- Timberwolves training camp invitee A.J. Price is expected to make the team, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN in Minnesota.
- Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks that DeWayne Dedmon's size gives him a chance to make the Warriors' opening night roster.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal explains why New York should keep recently-invited swingman Chris Douglas-Roberts on board for the regular season.
Odds & Ends: Gasol, Evans, Stern, Beaubois
Pau Gasol is in his walk year and while he has yet to discuss a new deal with the Lakers, he's made it clear that he wants to come back, writes Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. "It's nice to be here in the last year of my contract," Gasol said. "I'd love to continue to play with the Lakers [next year]. We've been through so much together. Mostly amazing moments and some hard moments too. It's like a relationship. If you're still together, it shows improved strength and consistency and how solid the relationship is. Hopefully we'll see if we can extend it." Here's more from around the Association..
- Offseason acquisition Tyreke Evans says that he would like to fill a "Manu Ginobili kind of role" for the Pelicans, writes Raul Barrigon of HoopsHype. Evans was also asked about why things didn't work out in Sacramento, but he took the high road and concluded that it was "just time for a change."
- As David Stern enters his final season as commissioner, he says that he is most proud of the game's international growth, writes Sam Amick of USA Today.
- In a piece for The Score, Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com focuses on free agent guard Rodrigue Beaubois, who looked like a promising up-and-coming prospect three years ago, and now can't find NBA work.
- More and more teams are stashing picks overseas, according to a recent numbers crunch from HoopsHype. This year, there was a record-setting eight stash picks in the draft.
- Forward Jeff Green had high praise for new Celtics coach Brad Stevens today, tweets Baxter Holmes of The Boston Globe.
Pacific Notes: Kobe, Warriors, Bogut, Howard
Derrick Rose has said that he's not big on recruiting, but the Lakers' star guard has never been bashful about working the phones to bring talent to his team. Recently, a source close to Carmelo Anthony told Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Kobe Bryant may influence where Anthony plays next season. Here's more out of the Pacific Division..
- This year's Lakers are the definition of a one-and-done team as Steve Nash, Robert Sacre, and Nick Young are the only players with guaranteed contracts past this season, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol don't have assurances past this season and neither does the newly-acquired Chris Kaman, who experienced a similar situation in Dallas last season as the Mavs geared up for a Dwight Howard run.
- Warriors center Andrew Bogut sat down with Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News for a wide-ranging interview. When asked about the club's pursuit of Howard, Bogut didn't pull any punches. "In some ways, you look at it, and it does [tick] you off a little bit. But I don’t take it personal. They’re trying to get better.I’m still here and Dwight’s created his circus and the circus is past and we’re moving on. I’m not too worried about it," Bogut said.
- A Sacramento lobbyist who assisted with the city's efforts to keep the Kings is upset that he is now left without a piece of the club, writes Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
Kobe To Play Role in Carmelo’s Free Agency?
Carmelo Anthony didn't give reporters at Knicks media day today any insight into his potential free agency next summer, but a source close to the six-time All-Star tells Frank Isola of the New York Daily News that Kobe Bryant may influence where Anthony plays next season. Bryant could be the "X-factor" in Anthony's decision-making, Isola writes, and if Bryant invites Anthony to chase a title with him, the Knicks may lose their superstar.
Anthony can opt out of his contract next summer, and Bryant is entering the final season of his deal with the Lakers. Even though new Knicks president Steve Mills is clear about his desire to have Anthony back, while the Lakers are holding off on negotiations with Bryant, L.A. seems a far more likely setting than New York if the two are to play together. Bryant isn't eager to take a pay cut on his league-high $30.5MM salary, and it would be virtually impossible for him to change teams next summer without significantly reducing his salary. The Lakers have Bryant's Bird rights and they'll have plenty of cap room available next summer to sign Anthony or another marquee free agent.
Still, both players are nine months away from free agency, and neither of them have dropped any hints themselves about a desire to play together, so there are no strong indications that Anthony will be switching coasts. Much also hinges on another could-be free agent, LeBron James, and where he decides to play, but Anthony's future figures to be a consistent storyline all season.
Western Notes: Wolves, Mavs, Lakers, Cousins
As a number of NBA teams hold their annual fall Media Days, let's check in on a few items out of the Western Conference….
- With Chase Budinger expected to be sidelined with a knee injury for the near future, the Timberwolves are getting calls about potential replacements, says Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities (via Twitter). According to Wolfson, Josh Howard is one possibility, but the Wolves aren't making any moves for now.
- Mavericks GM Gersson Rosas sat down with Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com to talk about analytics, his transition from the Rockets, and the advantages of a one-to-one D-League affiliation. He admits that the Mavs must catch a few breaks to be successful this season, pointing to defense and rebounding as weaknesses (video links).
- According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni and executive Jeanie Buss are now on the same page, despite the fact that Buss had initially hoped to see Phil Jackson hired by the team.
- DeMarcus Cousins' contract extension with the Kings, which was officially announced today, is built on trust between Cousins and the team's new ownership group, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee.
Lakers Rumors: Free Agency, Dwight, SGs
Boston Globe scribe Gary Washburn's weekly look around the NBA includes a dispatch from Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak's chat with reporters this week in which Kupchak made it clear that his team won't settle for second-tier free agents.
"I know at some point in time we’ll be able to put together a very competitive and attractive team," Kupchak said. "I don’t think this is a franchise that can take 15 years to build through the draft. The worst thing you can do is be burdened with contracts that are $6-$7-$8MM a year that go out three or four years and have average players, and you’re kind of stuck in the middle. You’re not going to get a good draft choice and you don’t have financial flexibility. So in my opinion, we’re probably best set up as we can be for the future."
While Kupchak ponders future Lakers, here's more on Lakers past and present:
- Dwight Howard appeared to waver on his choice to join the Rockets before it became official, but the ex-Laker insists to Sam Amick of USA Today that he was firm in his decision, and that his 11th-hour meeting with Kupchak was always part of the plan.
- The Lakers have loaded up on shooting guards to cover for Kobe Bryant, who's still without a timetable for his return from injury, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports examines.
- This is the final season on the contracts of most of the players on the Lakers roster, and that can either lead to motivated team play or selfish, stat-driven gunning, posits Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times.
Lakers, Gasol Have Yet To Discuss Extension
Lakers big man Pau Gasol has dealt with trade rumors for years and as he enters the final season of his contract, he’s no closer to getting an assurance of job security. The Spaniard told reporters today that the Lakers have yet to approach him about a contract extension, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
“If the team is interested, they will approach me and at some point there will be some kind of meeting,” Gasol said. “But I’m not sure when or how. I think it’s going to depend on how I perform during the season. The better I perform, I’m sure the more interested they will be to try to sign me, I guess.“
Gasol averaged a career-low 13.7 PPG last year and his 46.6% rate from the floor was his worst of any season. He didn’t fare much better on the boards, averaging 8.6 rebounds per game, his lowest average since 2007/08.
On the plus side, Gasol reports that his knees feel a whole lot better after undergoing treatment for tendonitis. The veteran will earn $9.3MM in the final year of his contract.