Mavs Sign Douglas-Roberts, Waive Fisher
SUNDAY, 11:25pm: The Mavs officially announced the signing of Douglas-Roberts, via press release.
SATURDAY, 5:34pm: HoopsWorld's Bill Ingram (via Twitter) acknowledges a source close to the situation that says Fisher will opt for retirement due to the strain on his body and family.
4:44pm: The Mavs have officially waived Fisher, according to a press release from the team. The release does not mention Douglas-Roberts.
4:12pm: Derek Fisher has told the Mavericks he wants them to let him go, and the team is honoring his request and will put him on waivers, reports Marc Stein of ESPN.com. In his place, the team will sign Chris Douglas-Roberts. The Mavs signed Fisher to a minimum-salary deal in November.
Douglas-Roberts has been averaging 27.8 points, 5.4 rebounds and 3.6 assists for the Texas Legends of the D-League, and was widely viewed as the best talent available in that circuit, Stein writes. Texas is the affiliate of the Mavs, and Dallas signed Douglas-Roberts toward the end of training camp and quickly released him so they could retain his affiliate rights, which allowed the Mavs to place him on the Legends.
Fisher started all nine of the games he played with the Mavericks, and according to Stein, the team appealed to him to allow them to find another point guard after he requested the release a few days ago. However, the 6'7" Douglas-Roberts is a shooting guard, not a point guard. Fisher strained his patellar tendon against the Sixers on Tuesday and has missed the team's last two games, but the Mavs don't believe the injury is serious. As Stein writes, Fisher released a statement that said the recovery time from the injury will be about two weeks, and that he wants to return home to be with his family. Fisher, 38, also hinted at retirement.
"I have made decisions in the past, leaving money and opportunity on the table, and I will need to do that again," the statement said. "My family is my priority and that is where I choose to be. I won't close the possibility that I will play again, however for now my family and being close to them remains the priority."
As Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com notes via Twitter, Fisher's offseason home is in L.A. Stein pointed out earlier this season that Fisher is eligible to sign with the Lakers, who dealt him to the Rockets at the trade deadline last year. The Lakers are reportedly still considering an upgrade to their backcourt, though Fisher, who excelled in the triangle offense, might not be the prototypical point guard coach Mike D'Antoni favors for his up-tempo system.
It was never confirmed whether Fisher's deal was guaranteed, but his statement indicates that he's leaving money on the table, so perhaps the contract was either non-guaranteed or Fisher and the team negotiated a buyout. Otherwise, the Mavs would be on the hook for his salary the rest of the season.
Western Notes: Roy, Conroy, Fisher
- Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee tweets that DeMarcus Cousins has decided to hire Dan Fegan as his new agent, replacing John Grieg. Two of Fegan's most notable clients include Kevin Martin of the Thunder and Lakers center Dwight Howard (All Twitter links).
- In what should be encouraging news for the Timberwolves and their fans, Brandon Roy returned to practice today and reported that he felt no pain in his knee (Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune reports). The veteran two-guard had been inactive since undergoing surgery on his right knee last month and hadn't played since November 9.
- Will Conroy was at Minnesota's practice today, but attended as a special assistant to David Kahn and not as a candidate to re-join the team as a player, says Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press. The 6'2 guard and close friend of Brandon Roy had been released earlier in the season in order to make room for recently-waived Josh Howard. According to Kahn, Conroy will serve as the team's D-League scout before returning to Seattle to finish his school degree.
- When asked about Derek Fisher being waived, coach Mike D'Antoni told reporters to ask GM Mitch Kupchak if the team had any interest in the former Lakers guard (according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles via Twitter). Although we heard an earlier report that Fisher was contemplating retirement, Ramona Shelburne (also of ESPN LA) tweeted that in the event that he would still continue playing, any team who signs him would have to inherit the non-guaranteed deal he signed with the Mavericks.
- Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas provides the current rundown of Rick Carlisle's point guard situation following Fisher's abrupt departure.
- Alex Kramers of TheKingsBlog.com elicited the reaction from the Kings locker room as they prepare to compete without DeMarcus Cousins. Coach Keith Smart told the media that the situation will be reassessed within the next few days. On a different and much lighter note, Kramers delves a bit into the minor ties between Jimmer Fredette and the Warriors' Stephen Curry.
Odds & Ends: Cousins, Thunder, Vesely, Morris
In addtion to Steve Nash's Lakers debut tonight, another major talking point in the Pacific Division involves the Kings' suspension of DeMarcus Cousins. According to Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today, a source close the team's plans says that the former Kentucky big man isn't untouchable. Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM feels that Sacramento and the Magic would benefit by exploring trade talks, as both have pieces that could help the other side (Twitter link). Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops also weighed in, offering four different scenarios in which the Kings could deal the fourth-year player. With that aside, here are some of the other notable stories we're hearing from the NBA this evening:
- Jim Eichenhoffer of Hornets.com tweets that Eric Gordon has been cleared for full contact practice.
- Jenni Carlson of NewsOK believes that dealing James Harden to Houston has made the Thunder a better and more fluid team, pointing to the significant increase in assist numbers by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
- Jan Vesely has yet to earn a consistent role during a turbulent start to his second-year campaign with the struggling Wizards, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “It’s tough, especially when the team is losing,” Vesely said of his current role. “Everybody try to stay positive but sometimes it’s hard. I try to practice everyday, work on my game and stay ready for my chance to play.”
- Darius Morris may not be ready for a starting job, but Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times writes about how the Lakers' sophomore guard has found a significant role in Mike D'Antoni's rotation (Sulia link).
- Two years ago and just months removed from "The Decision", Jazz guard Mo Williams (then with Cleveland) and Heat superstar LeBron James may not have necessarily been on each other's holiday greetings list. Today, Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune notes how the two former teammates had nothing but glowing remarks to say about each other heading into tonight's matchup between Utah and Miami.
How Long Should The Lakers Wait To Trade Gasol?
Pau Gasol is probably the biggest name on the trade market right now, and I tipped off this year's Hoops Rumors Trade Candidate series today by sizing up the prospects of a Gasol swap earlier today. With Steve Nash a game-time decision for tonight's Lakers-Warriors game, we'll soon see how L.A. plays with Kobe Bryant, Dwight Howard, Nash and Gasol all in the lineup for the first time under coach Mike D'Antoni's watch. Gasol has proven an awkward fit in D'Antoni's offense, but no one makes that system sing like Nash, who's known for his ability to make the players around him look better. When Nash was thinking of signing with the Lakers this summer, he told them he wanted to play with Gasol, so it seems that the point guard is confident he can make the pairing work.
Much was expected of the Lakers this year, but even after winning three straight, they're 12-14 and mired in 11th place in the Western Conference. With the red-hot Clippers in command of the Pacific Division, the Lakers could face an uphill battle for a high playoff seed. If Gasol continues to sputter in the team's offense after Nash returns, and the Lakers don't show signs of becoming the title contender everyone thought they'd be, how long can they wait to trade the 32-year-old Spanish big man? Let us know what you think.
How Long Should The Lakers Wait To Trade Gasol?
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Wait until the deadline. You never know who'll get desperate. 31% (204)
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Less than a month. Give the team a chance, but don't waste time. 26% (171)
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Don't trade him at all. Nash will reinvigorate Gasol, and all will be well. 25% (163)
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Not a minute more. They should trade him ASAP. 19% (124)
Total votes: 662
Pacific Notes: Cousins, Kobe, Marshall
The first-place Clippers won a franchise-record 12th straight game last night, blasting the Kings, but tonight all eyes will be on the Pacific Division's second- and third-place teams, as the Warriors play host to the Lakers, who carry a modest three-game winning streak into the contest. They may also have Steve Nash, whose return will go a long way toward deciding whether the team will trade Pau Gasol this year. I looked at Gasol's trade candidacy earlier, and now here's more from around the Pacific.
- The Kings announced that they have suspended DeMarcus Cousins for an indefinite period of time because of his "unprofessional behavior and conduct detrimental to the team." The Kings told him not to come out of the locker room for the second half last night after he engaged in a verbal altercation with coach Keith Smart. Jeff Goodman of CBSSports.com responded to a question of whether the team would look to deal away the troubled center, speculating that Cousins' trade value is limited right now (Twitter link). Tom Ziller of SB Nation and TNT's David Aldridge counter that his trade value is still too high for the Kings to think about a swap (Twitter links).
- T.J. Simers of the Los Angeles Times answers recent criticism of Kobe Bryant, arguing that the 12-14 Lakers would be in even worse shape if they didn't have the league's leading scorer.
- Bakersfield Jam head coach Will Voigt shared his thoughts with Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside on some of the NBA players sent down to the team this season, including Suns rookie point guard Kendall Marshall.
Trade Candidate: Pau Gasol
Over the next two months as the trade deadline approaches, Hoops Rumors will be examining several players rumored to be on the block, and we'll begin with the most prominent name in discussions. Pau Gasol is off to a career-worst start in terms of scoring and shooting percentage, and his poor fit alongside Dwight Howard in the up-tempo offense of new Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni has many believing he'll soon be gone from L.A.
The Lakers are about a year removed from the short-circuited deal to acquire Chris Paul, a trade that appeared to send Gasol to the Rockets. Houston would have given up Kevin Martin, Goran Dragic, Luis Scola and a 2012 first-round pick. No one's going to offer nearly as much to acquire Gasol these days. The Rockets, for their part, are reportedly no longer interested, and the Lakers are apparently coming up empty in their search for a package of two players on cheaper contracts who would fit better in D'Antoni's offense. L.A. wants to wait until Gasol and Nash have played together under the new coach before making any moves, and the point guard has made it clear he wants to play with Gasol. Yet with Nash nearing a return, the Lakers will soon come to a point of reckoning, when they realize their team as constituted is either capable of winning a title or not.
For as much trouble as Gasol is having putting the ball in the basket, the rest of his game appears intact. He's averaging only 8.8 rebounds per game this season after grabbing 10.4 a year ago, but Gasol notched just 7.8 RPG with the Lakers in 2007/08 after coming over from the Grizzlies. This season's decline is less significant in terms of rebounds per 36 minutes, where Gasol's average of 9.2 is off from last year's 10.0 mark. Gasol's assists and blocks per game are in line with last year's numbers. Even so, his 15.1 PER and .096 win shares per 48 minutes are career lows by a long shot, so that could deflate his value with teams that put a great deal of stock in advanced metrics.
The greatest impediment to a Gasol trade is likely his inflated contract, which pays him $19MM this season and close to $19.3MM in its final season next year. It also includes a 15% trade kicker, but because Gasol already bumps up against the maximum salary, a team that trades for Gasol would only have to give him another $136K. Regardless, Gasol's deal would occupy 35% of the salary cap for whichever team acquires him, quite an investment no matter who the player is, and the money wouldn't come off the books until 2014.
A team that's targeting players in the free agent market next summer wouldn't make sense for Gasol, which would seem to eliminate the Hawks, who don't appear to have any interest. The Wolves might be a more intriguing possibility, since their commitments for next season have them close to the salary cap anyway. Minnesota denies interest, but rumors persist. The Lakers supposedly haven't been moved by offers built around Derrick Williams and Nikola Pekovic, perhaps in part because Pekovic, a restricted free agent at season's end, doesn't seem like a fit for D'Antoni's offense, either. The Wolves would have to include much more than just Williams and Pekovic to make the salaries match anyway, and I suspect Andrei Kirilenko would have to be a part of that deal. He's a versatile, athletic forward of the sort that makes D'Antoni smile, and his contract, like Gasol's, ends in 2014, when the Lakers want to have cap space to pursue free agents.
The Raptors look like they're in the mix for Gasol, too, with Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon and Linas Kleiza among the players who could wind up in L.A. Just like the Lakers, the Raptors need to get healthy before making a deal. When that happens, it might just come down to whether the Lakers are sold on Bargnani, whose trade value is at an all-time low, much in the same way Gasol has taken a hit in the eyes of executives around the league. Some teams are apparently higher on Bargnani than others and willing to take a risk to bring him on board, so perhaps the Lakers are among the teams more inclined to take him.
In recent years, the most prominent trade candidate has been dealt at or near the deadline, but if the Lakers continue to struggle once Nash is back in the lineup, I don't think they'll wait to make a move. As many of his numbers show, Gasol is still a productive player, and even if he isn't the star he used to be, he can help a team. He's probably of greater value to another team than he is to the Lakers in D'Antoni's scheme, so I think at some point a team will step forward with a deal that L.A. will take.
Odds & Ends: Stoudemire, World Peace, Lillard
Saturday afternoon linkage from around the Association..
- Concern about the health of Amare Stoudemire, who's set to return to the Knicks soon, led Team USA officials to pass him over for a spot on this year's Olympic team, even though the squad was short on big men, as Marc Berman of the New York Post reveals.
- Lakers forward Metta World Peace has been relegated to the bench, but he won't be asking for a trade over it, writes Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. In fact, the veteran seems to be taking it all in stride. “I just want to win, that’s our focus,” World Peace said. “I can’t speak for other players, but its all about us wining. That’s our whole purpose.”
- The Blazers' Damian Lillard remembers being considered the No. 2 point guard in the draft at one point behind the Suns Kendall Marshall, but refuses to knock the North Carolina product, writes Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Brian Geltzeiler of Sheridan Hoops issued a letter of apology to Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan for his criticism of the Dwight Howard trade. At the time, it appeared that Orlando allowed themselves to be pillaged by three NBA teams, but they ultimately made the best move for the club in the long-term.
Stein On Lakers, Evans, Holiday, Stoudemire
Marc Stein of ESPN.com unveils his award winners for the first third of the NBA season, splitting the MVP award between the two conferences, with Carmelo Anthony besting LeBron James for the Eastern Conference honor and Kevin Durant getting the nod for the West. As usual, the ESPN scribe also checks in with a few rumors from around the league in his Weekend Dime, and we'll round them up here.
- The Lakers gave strong consideration to signing Delonte West, but the desire for stability, which has been in short supply for L.A. this season, kept them from doing so, a source tells Stein. The Lakers remain in the market for a point guard, but they're in no rush to do so, preferring to wait and see how the team looks with a healthy Steve Nash.
- Tyreke Evans wasn't rattled when he didn't receive a contract extension from the Kings, and he's likewise unfazed by his inclusion in trade rumors this season. "I'm just here to play basketball," Evans said. "If I get traded, that's what happens."
- Unlike Evans, Jrue Holiday did get an extension on his rookie deal, and while he believes the new deal took some pressure off of him, he doesn't think it's had any effect on his play. He's been thrust into a leadership role with Andrew Bynum out, and he's anxious to see how he and the big man fit together on the Sixers. "More so than curious, I'm just excited," Holiday said. "I'm excited for him to finally play, and I'd love to play with him. (But) I think the season at hand is the most important thing."
- Earlier today we heard the Knicks shopped Amare Stoudemire over the summer and found no takers. A source tells Stein that Stoudemire has come to grips with his reduced value and leverage, and understands that when he returns, he has to fit into whatever role coach Mike Woodson has for him.
Western Notes: Nash, Scola, Mayo, Nuggets
The latest updates from around the Western Conference on Friday afternoon:
- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com reports that there is a low chance that Steve Nash will return on Saturday when the Lakers face the Warriors, although he still hopes to play on Christmas Day.
- Luis Scola reflects on his journey to the NBA and the long wait to get bought out from his team in Spain, as reported by Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- O.J. Mayo tells Jon MacHota of the Dallas Morning News that he holds no hard feelings towards the Grizzlies after signing with the Mavericks this summer.
- The Nuggets do not plan to change course after a historically bad three-point shooting night against Portland, writes Aaron J. Lopez of Nuggets.com.
- LaMarcus Aldridge does not know when he will return from his recent ankle turn, writes Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
Los Angeles Notes: Nash, Kobe, Barnes
In what should be a sight for sore eyes for Lakers fans, Steve Nash took the court today at the team's El Segundo practice facility and participated in scrimmage. The impact he made on the floor could partially be summed up by teammate Dwight Howard, who told reporters after practice: "he (threw) a pass that I haven't got hit with since I've been here…not any offense to the guys who've been playing, but he made some tough passes today… Just little things like that will really help our team out." The 38-year-old veteran told reporters that he wants to test things out day-by-day and reiterated that Christmas Day's game against the Knicks is a realistic target for a return.
Sam Amick of USA Today cautions that Nash is still under considerable pain and will need some time to improve his conditioning in addition to establishing chemistry with the rest of the team. Here's more of tonight's links from Los Angeles:
- Coach Mike D'Antoni offered his thoughts on Nash after team practice today: "He looked good today. Real good. You never know how he wakes up. But the first step was positive. He looks good on the floor. He said he felt good. We'll see if he can do it again tomorrow and keep building from there" (Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles reports).
- Shelburne and ESPN's Arash Markazi both opined about whether or not Nash will be the answer to the team's problems.
- Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times presents a rebuttal against ESPN's Chris Broussard (Insiders only), who recently wrote that the Lakers' issues are centered on Kobe Bryant's high volume of shot attempts.
- Eric Patten of NBA.com talks about the emergence of Clippers forward Matt Barnes as an invaluable role player on both sides of the floor.