Odds & Ends: Celtics, Bosh, World Peace, Bucks
Ken Berger of CBSSports.com follows up on several reports we've heard about Doc Rivers this week, confirming that Rivers wouldn't be interested in sticking around if the Celtics decide to rebuild. GM Danny Ainge believes the team can avoid a full-fledged rebuild, but it remains to be seen what will happen with Paul Pierce, whose contract is only partially guaranteed for now, and Kevin Garnett, who is believed to be considering retirement. As Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld notes (via Twitter), if Rivers steps down as the Celtics' coach, it will be a pretty good indication that Pierce's and Garnett's days in Boston are numbered.
Let's round up a few more odds and ends from around the NBA….
- If Rivers does decide to part ways with the Celtics, it's unlikely that the team would allow him to coach elsewhere without receiving significant compensation, tweets Baxter Holmes of the Boston Globe.
- Chris Bosh's Miami Beach home may be on the market, but Bosh doesn't have any desire to hit the open market himself, telling Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel that he'd like to spend the rest of his career with the Heat.
- Speaking to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com, Metta World Peace seems to hint that he'd like to work out a new deal that would assure he remains with the Lakers. "I came here at a discount five years ago and I did that because I just want to win," World Peace said. "I thought my last contract was fair. I probably could have got more somewhere else, but I thought it was fair. Right now, the main thing with the Lakers whenever we cross that path is that (the offer) is just fair."
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld examines the Spurs and Heat players in the Finals who will be hitting free agency next month.
- Addressing a report that suggested he and Monta Ellis nearly came to blows in the locker room after a Bucks playoff loss to the Heat, Larry Sanders says it was "just personalities clashing" and that he'd have no problem playing with Ellis next season and beyond (Twitter link via Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times).
- Although the focus will be on their pursuit of a star, the Mavericks should also be looking to add quality depth to the roster this summer, writes Bryan Gutierrez for ESPNDallas.com.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Lakers, Magic, Howard
Earlier today we got the latest on the Clippers‘ coaching search and no matter who gets hired in L.A., it’s sure to be a big name candidate. Owner Donald Sterling is said to be a fan of Lionel Hollins and and the club has already met with Byron Scott and Brian Shaw. The biggest fish of all could be George Karl, but it’s not clear if the team has scheduled a pow wow with the future Hall of Famer yet. Here’s more out of the Pacific Division..
- The Kings could use a seasoned GM, opines Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. While the current group of candidates is a virtual feast of variety fit for Anthony Bourdain, Voisin would like to see Vivek Ranadive & Co. veer towards the more experienced executives.
- Lakers legend Magic Johnson says that he’s less-than-enthralled by what he’s seen out of Dwight Howard but still wants to see him stay put, tweets Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times. Howard will be courted by a number of teams this summer and many reports have him linked to the Rockets.
- Magic also had some thoughts on coach Mike D’Antoni, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com tweets. “He has to concentrate on the defensive end as much as he coaches offense,” Johnson said.
Pacific Notes: Lakers, Clippers, Karl, Kings
It was reported earlier this year that Chauncey Billups would retire if he didn't re-sign with the Clippers, but the veteran guard made it very clear today that he's definitely returning next season and will consider other clubs. When asked if he would consider taking his talents to South Beach, the 36-year-old answered in the affirmative and indicated that he is "wide open" to possibilities this summer. Here's more out of the Pacific..
- Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times explains the decisions facing the Lakers on possible qualifying offers for the team's four potential restricted free agents. Pincus' educated guess has Robert Sacre and Darius Morris back next season, Andrew Goudelock as a maybe, and Devin Ebanks seeking employment elsewhere.
- Brian Shaw is rumored to be the Clippers' top head coaching candidate, but Jovan Buha of ESPNLosAngeles.com doesn't rank the Pacers assistant among his choices for the top three best fits for the L.A. job. The three best candidates in terms of potential and fit are George Karl, Jeff Van Gundy, and Lionel Hollins, Buha writes.
- A bankruptcy judge approved the sale of 7% of the Kings to new majority owner Vivek Ranadive, turning back a last-minute bid by limited partner Bob Cook to buy the share back, writes Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee. The purchase of the share, formerly owned by Cook, means Ranadive and his partners will now control 72% of the club.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
Kobe Suggests He’ll Outplay Contract
In a radio interview with Stephen A. Smith of ESPN Radio, Kobe Bryant suggested he might play beyond his current contract with the Lakers, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times. Bryant, whose deal expires after this season, spoke at length of the possibility of topping Spurs forward Tim Duncan in the title chase.
“My goal is to win more than five,” said Bryant. “If he does win five, hopefully that pushes our organization upstairs to be even more determined and more driven to make the necessary expenses to make sure we continue the next year and the year after that.“
Previously, Bryant has said that he doesn’t want to play too far beyond his prime. As it stands, Bryant’s deal is set to expire after the 2013/14 season.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Jent, World Peace, Suns
While we look forward to Game One of the 2013 Finals, let's check in on the NBA's Pacific Division, rounding up the latest news and notes:
- As they continue to search for their next general manager, the Kings have requested permission to speak to Nuggets assistant GM Pete D'Alessandro, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Denver has yet to grant the Kings permission, which may not be a surprise, considering D'Alessandro is viewed as the frontrunner for the Nuggets' GM job, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post (via Twitter).
- Following up on a report indicating the Kings have spoken to Larry Bird, Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee writes that Bird joining Sacramento's front office is unlikely, but not impossible.
- One more Kings note from Wojnarowski, who tweets that Michael Malone has extended a three-year offer to Ohio State's Chris Jent to be the top assistant in Sacramento.
- 14-year NBA veteran Metta World Peace told TWC SportsNet he hopes to extend his playing career to 20 seasons before retiring, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link).
- Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek and GM Ryan McDonough are on the same page as the draft approaches, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
Kupchak Talks Dwight, Recruiting, Improvement
Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak told Mike Trudell of Lakers.com that his "hopeful" and "optimistic" feelings about the team's chances to re-sign Dwight Howard haven't changed since the season ended, even as rumors have proliferated about the big man's willingness to go elsewhere. Kupchak also spoke about front office dynamics, confirming he and Jim Buss are the primary decision makers, and the exodus of all but one of the team's assistant coaches. The transcript of the Q&A is worth reading, particularly for Lakers fans, but we'll note a few particularly intriguing passages here:
On his pitch to Howard:
"We would try to do what the other teams will do, which is convince him that this is the spot for him. I think we have an advantage in that he's played here for a year. I'm biased — I think this is the best city to live in with the best fans in the NBA. There are certain things that you remind him of or talk to him about, and you hope that it plays in your favor."
On the Lakers' recruiting advantages:
I do think we have advantages. Historically, this organization, via ownership beginning in 1960 has fielded competitive teams. We think the city sells itself, and we have a very passionate, wide fan base. It's also very competitive, the rules have changed a little bit, but we do have financial flexibility a year and a half from now. It can be used a lot of different ways. You don't just have to focus on free agency; you can take a contract. If a player doesn't fit into someone's roster from a salary perspective — maybe due to the repeater tax, for example — maybe you find a guy that way. There are a lot of ways you can use the space that we will have, and we're looking forward to having that flexibility.
On the difficulty of improving a taxpaying team that has only a late second-round pick:
It's a challenge. Even in the lottery, there's a likelihood that a player is not going to help you that year. Often times, the higher someone is drafted, the more likely he is to help you that year. With a veteran team, it's hard to say that a player drafted in the mid-second round will make an impact next year. Assuming our team next year is similar to the team it was this year, and also understanding that we have several free agents, probably the best way to improve this team would be through free agency, and even that's limited. Hopefully you can use your mini mid(-level exception), but most of the time it will fall towards the (veteran's) minimum contracts, and you want to make good selections there. But you're not going to get really good, productive young players at a minimum salary. You'll end up getting the older player who's had a good career that's looking to contend for a championship, like Antawn Jamison last season.
Pacific Notes: World Peace, Howard, Kings, Suns
Let's round up any and all links from the West's Pacific division in this post tonight:
- Confirming Jason Jones' report from earlier, the Kings announced the firings of assistant coaches Jim Eyen, Alex English, and Clifford Ray via press release. However, former assistant Bobby Jackson will be retained in some fashion, but will not serve as an assistant under Michael Malone.
Earlier updates:
- The Lakers have granted the Hawks and Bobcats permission to speak to Darvin Ham, currently an assistant in L.A., about joining their staffs, tweets Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News.
- Metta World Peace will continue to defer to his agent, Marc Cornstein, on what he should do about his $7.7MM player option with the Lakers in 2013/14, writes Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News, who exclusively spoke with the veteran forward. World Peace has until June 25 to make a decision. If he exercises his option, he will force the Lakers to make a decision on whether or not to use the amnesty provision on him.
- While the Lakers certainly have a built-in advantage when it comes to signing Dwight Howard, there are plenty of factors that make him obtainable for other teams, writes ESPN salary cap guru Larry Coon. In this Insider only piece, Coon breaks down what it will take for Howard to land with the Rockets or Mavericks, both of which are considered realistic destinations.
- It looks like new Kings head coach Michael Malone will not retain any assistant coaches from Keith Smart's staff from last season, tweets Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee. According to the team's media guide, Smart's staff consisted of assistants Alex English, Jim Eyen, Bobby Jackson and Clifford Ray.
- Suns managing partner Robert Sarver understands that his team's rebuilding process could be long and painful, writes Paul Coro for USA Today. With the No. 5 pick in a draft that seems devoid of high-end talent, and not enough star power to lure one of the big-time free agents, franchises like Phoenix need this patient approach to avoid the pitfalls of trying to rebuild too quickly.
Kobe On Recovery, Retirement, Howard
It would be an understatement to say that the 2012/13 season was a disappointment for the Lakers and Kobe Bryant. Bryant helped will the Lakers into the playoffs with a late-season surge but had to watch his club get bounced by the Spurs from the sidelines. Now, six weeks into his rehabilitation program, the 34-year-old sat down with Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com to discuss his future and plans for the summer. Here's a look at the highlights..
Will you be ready for the 2013/14 opener?
"I hope so. That's the challenge. With the tendon, there's really only but so much you can do. There's a certain amount of time that they deem necessary for the tendon to heal where you don't overstretch it and now you never get that spring back. So, you just have to be patient, let the tendon heal and then when that moment comes when they say, 'OK, we can take off the regulator so to speak and now it's on you to train as hard as you can to get back to where you want to be,' that's going to be a good day."
On courting Dwight Howard back to L.A.:
"For me, you kind of let him do his due diligence and then move in and talk to him and figure out if this is a place he wants to be. We all want him here. But then that's when the selling begins [after Howard is courted by other teams]. You don't start the selling process right before he goes and does all this stuff. You want to get the last word. You want to have the final word and the closing argument. I'll give him a little opening statement, but then I have to make sure I have the final word."
What if Howard goes elsewhere?
"This franchise is a franchise that you really don't have to worry about too much, because no matter what happens, whether it's a year from now, two years from now, whatever the case may be, they're always going to find a way to have an impact on this league. It's gotten to a point at this stage in my career where those lines of communication are more open and we talk more frequently both with [general manager] Mitch [Kupchak] and [vice president of player personnel] Jimmy [Buss] and [vice president of business operations] Jeanie [Buss] to a certain extent. Those lines of communication are open."
On Phil Jackson's book stating that Michael Jordan is the superior player:
"I talked to Phil about it. I said, 'You know, you can't compare me at [age] 21-22-23 to Michael at 28-29-30. That's not a fair comparison. But, you know, I'm comfortable at resting on my five [championships] and what I had to do for this team to be successful. We both had different roles and [Jordan has] had his level of frustration coming up as a young player and challenges that he had to deal with and I had mine in playing a different role to what I thought naturally I could do. We had different career paths, man, so it's kind of tough to [compare]. At least for me it is, anyway."
On retirement plans:
"I don't know if I want a farewell tour because I want that competition. I want the crowd being on top of you all the time. I wouldn't want a farewell tour. No. I wouldn't do that."
Pacific Notes: Howard, Gasol, Kobe, Kings
Dwight Howard is keeping mum on what his plans might be after July 1st, but if you’re one for reading between the lines, yesterday’s comments to T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times could carry some weight. The prized free agent referred to his time with Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni in the past tense. “He’s a great person and I’m glad we had the opportunity to be together,” Howard said. Here’s more out of the Pacific Division..
- Pau Gasol said he hasn’t talked to Dwight Howard this offseason and won’t try to convince him to return, tweets Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. “He has to make the decision,” Gasol said. Gasol wants Howard back like everyone else on the Lakers but he wants to give him space out of respect for him.
- Kings basketball president Geoff Petrie is still playing a key role with the team even as he knows he’s in his final month with the franchise, writes Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (Sulia link). Until the Kings hire a new GM, Petrie and his staff are running all the preparations and research leading up to the NBA Draft on June 27.
- Until Kings ownership settles on a new general manager, new coach Michael Malone is leaning on Petrie, Jones writes. “I just told (Petrie) how much I appreciate him sticking around because he knows the draft a lot better than I do,” Malone said. “He’s been studying these guys … And he also can offer great insights to the current players on our roster as to what their strengths, weaknesses are and personalities. But I’m still going to keep an open mind and form my opinion on these guys.”
- Kobe Bryant doesn’t envision Mike Krzyzewski talking him into playing in the 2016 Olympics, tweets Dave McMenamin of ESPNLA.com.
- With Jason Kidd retiring, Steve Nash is now the NBA’s oldest player under contract for next season, notes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
Odds & Ends: West, Dwight, Drew, Malone, Spurs
- Dwight Howard offered few hints about his next destination in an interview with T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times, though Howard said he'll prioritize winning and, for what it's worth, referred to his time with Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni in the past tense. "He's a great person and I'm glad we had the opportunity to be together," Howard said.
- Lester Conner, who served as Larry Drew's lead assistant with the Hawks, tells Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel what the Bucks can expect from their new head coach. Conner will likely follow Drew to Milwaukee, according to Gardner.
- Michael Malone hasn't officially been hired as coach of the Kings, but an agreement with the team is in place, and he spoke with Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee and fellow Bee scribe Ailene Voisin about his background and his plans for the club.
- There's plenty of reason for Peter Holt to sell the Spurs, with the franchise value surging, but he has no intention of doing so, even as executive Rick Pych assumes more of Holt's duties, writes Buck Harvey of the San Antonio Express-News.
- Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post provides a brief sketch of Pete D'Allesandro, the vice president of basketball operations for the Nuggets who's rumored as a candidate for the team's vacant GM job, as well as a role in the Kings front office.
- The Post's Christopher Dempsey runs down the issues surrounding the Nuggets in the wake of Ujiri's departure, including the notion that D'Allesandro could follow Ujiri to the Raptors. He also wonders if the changes could irk coach George Karl, though it appears the team may not be so high on Karl, either.