Odds & Ends: Raptors, Blatche, Rubio, Kings
While the Raptors might not be willing to part with Andrea Bargnani just yet, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com notes that there is plenty of pressure on Bryan Colangelo to win, which might fuel him to pull the trigger on a deal. The Raptors have a lot that makes sense for the Lakers in a Pau Gasol deal beyond the forward too in Jose Calderon and Linas Kleiza. The question is whether Raptors believe Gasol will make them contenders and whether he’s worth taking on $19MM next season. Here’s more Friday night linkage..
- In this week’s mailbag, CSNNE’s Tommy Heinsohn said that Jason Terry knew that he would have a significant role with the Celtics when he signed on this summer.
- Nets forward Andray Blatche is clearly one of the best late offseason signings in the entire league, tweets Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld. The athletic big man signed a minimum salary deal with the Nets over the summer and earlier today he said that he would like to re-sign with Brooklyn.
- T’Wolves guard Ricky Rubio said that if he had to rate his happiness in Minnesota on a scale from 1-10, he’d give it a ten, tweets Jon Krawczynski of the Associated Press. Rubio will be extension-eligible in 2014 and can become a restricted free agent in 2015.
- Kings assistant coach Bobby Jackson wondered aloud if the club should thinking about breaking up their logjam of guards with Aaron Brooks, Isaiah Thomas, and Jimmer Fredette in the fold, writes Blake Ellington of Bleed Black and Purple
Stein On Gasol, Harden, Lin, Bobcats
In the weekend version of his column, ESPN.com's Marc Stein wonders if any of the four teams involved in the Dwight Howard blockbuster can call themselves the winner. Right now, it would seem that the Magic are the only club that can claim to feel any sort of satisfaction with its current state of affairs. Coach Jacque Vaughn has looked like a smart hire, center Nikola Vucevic is producing consistently, and last week's win over the Lakers should keep Orlando fans happy for a good while. Stein also checked in with a group of league scouts at the quarter-mark of the year to get their thoughts on this summer's player movement and moves that could be around the bend. Let's take a look..
- An Eastern Conference scout believes that Steve Nash can fix the Lakers' problem upon his return. Nash can obviously run Mike D'Antoni's offense, but Pau Gasol doesn't seem to be the power forward the club needs to make everything work. Even though Gasol has helped the Lakers to two NBA titles, the scout believes they will ultimately trade him.
- After seeing the way the Thunder have played without James Harden, an Eastern Conference scout says that he can understand why they opted to keep Serge Ibaka instead. Kevin Martin has played well in the No. 3 role and will be a major asset in the playoffs if he can help pull defensive attention away from Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. With the aforementioned stars both being capable of closing out games, the scout picks Oklahoma City to win the West.
- A Western Conference scout gave a less-than-stellar appraisal of Rockets point guard Jeremy Lin. "On an average team, he can be a starter. On a good team, he's going to have to be a backup," said the scout.
- The Bobcats may not be able to keep up this level of play all season long but new coach Mike Dunlap is showing that he can get a great deal out of his players, according to one Western Conference scout. The scout notes that Brendan Haywood is taking charges and diving after loose balls more than he was for the Mavs' championship team.
- Stein hears that the Clippers' new director of basketball administration Eric Miller is being groomed for a larger role in the Clips' decision-making hierarchy.
Latest On Pau Gasol
As we noted in our round-up of Timberwolves rumors earlier today, president David Kahn spoke to reporters at the team's shootaround today, something that doesn't happen often. Kahn wanted to clear the air on recent trade rumors, telling the media that he hasn't spoken to the Lakers about a deal since the summer, and that he was concerned about the players whose names had been involved — Kahn intends to speak to Derrick Williams and Nikola Pekovic, tweets Ray Richardson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
Whether Kahn's comments were made for the sake of P.R. or whether he was telling the truth, Gasol rumors involving Minnesota and other clubs continue to circulate. Here's the latest:
- The buzz around the NBA suggests that teams aren't eager to trade for Gasol and his $19MM annual salary, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter). One team exec tells Amico that the Heat are the only team that would trade for Gasol, while Amico adds that clubs may be more willing to give something up for Andrea Bargnani. This strikes me as a little odd, since it's not clear what Miami could give up for Gasol beyond one of its Big Three, and as ineffective as Pau has been so far, Bargnani has been even worse for the Raptors.
- In his latest mailbag, Sam Smith of Bulls.com addresses a few questions on Gasol, writing that he thinks it's "inevitable" that the Lakers trade the big man.
- Following up on his report about Gasol drawing interest from the T-Wolves and Raptors, ESPN.com's Marc Stein discusses potential suitors for Pau on TrueHoop TV. According to Stein, the Lakers seem committed to making things work with the Spaniard, so they'll take their time assessing how the lineup looks when Steve Nash returns before making any decisions.
Wolves Rumors: Williams, Gasol, Roy, Pekovic
Although Ricky Rubio had been angling to make his return to the court for the Timberwolves tonight, the team has announced that he won't play against the Cavs (Twitter link). Still, even though Rubio's debut won't happen today, it seems it's getting close, which is good news for the T-Wolves. Here are a few more items out of Minnesota:
- Speaking to the media today, David Kahn said there was no truth to any trade rumors involving the Lakers and that he hasn't spoken to them since the summer (Twitter link).
Earlier updates:
- Rob Pelinka, Derrick Williams' agent, has "voiced his displeasure" about his client's lack of playing time, reports Wolfson. According to Wolfson, Pelinka hasn't requested a trade, but has asked about the likelihood of a deal, and was told the Wolves want to see Williams on the court with Rubio first, since the two worked well together last season.
- David Kahn has spoken to other general managers, but there's nothing serious in the works yet, says Wolfson. A team source tells ESPN 1500 that the Wolves are interested in Pau Gasol, but that a deal would likely have to include a third team.
- The T-Wolves are open to going into luxury-tax territory next season if it's necessary, according to Wolfson.
- The doctor who performed Brandon Roy's latest knee procedure would be surprised if the former Blazer retired, though it's been "loosely discussed."
- A team source hints to Wolfson that there's a "healthy internal debate" about whether the Wolves want to commit a big, long-term deal to Nikola Pekovic.
- Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune explores the Pau rumors, and writes that the T-Wolves figure to be interested in Gasol right up until he's traded somewhere. Zgoda also outlines a few reasons why Minnesota would have interest in acquiring the Spaniard.
Raptors, Wolves Interested In Pau Gasol
10:51pm: The report connecting Gasol and the Timberwolves is news to the T-Wolves, tweets Charley Walters of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
8:07am: The Raptors and Timberwolves recently attempted to initiate trade discussions with the Lakers about Pau Gasol, but Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak has convinced the club to continue to take a pass on offers until Steve Nash returns, as Marc Stein and Ramona Shelburne report for ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Andrea Bargnani, Jose Calderon and Linas Kleiza are among those the Raptors are talking about including in a Gasol deal, according to Stein and Shelburne. Ken Berger of CBSSports.com, who's told by rival executives that the Raptors are the most likely destination for Gasol, hears that Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo is currently unwilling to include Bargnani in a deal. That could change, however, if Colangelo starts to feel pressure to win now.
It's an "open secret" that Wolves GM David Kahn has been after Gasol since last season in attempts to put together a core of Kevin Love and Spaniards Gasol and Ricky Rubio, Stein and Shelburne write. Kahn's trade offers have been built around Derrick Williams and Nikola Pekovic, packages that continually meet with rejection from the Lakers.
Hornets power forward Ryan Anderson, reportedly L.A.'s No. 1 target in a Gasol deal, is a "virtual untouchable" as far as New Orleans is concerned, according to the ESPNLosAngeles.com story. The Hawks, Rockets and Nuggets have no interest in obtaining Gasol, reports Chris Broussard of ESPN.com.
The 32-year-old Gasol is making $19MM this year and is due $19.286MM next season in the final year of his deal. He's averaging 12.6 points per game on 42% shooting, both career lows, and has missed the last two games because of tendinitis in both knees.
Lakers Notes: Anderson, Gasol, Brown, Meeks
The Lakers are in Oklahoma City in advance of their game tomorrow night against the Thunder, and spent the afternoon today at an Oklahoma theater watching Lincoln. At least one Laker has submitted his review already, as the film comes "highly recommended" from Pau Gasol. While we wait with bated breath to see if there are any dissenting options from the team, here are a few Lakers updates:
- It's easy for the Lakers to target Ryan Anderson, but much more difficult to actually obtain him, writes Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times.
- The fact that the Raptors' interest in Pau Gasol has gone public doesn't mean much, according to Doug Smith of the Toronto Star, who says for every Gasol rumour that circulates, there are 10 discussions with other teams taking place privately.
- Mike Brown has no hard feelings toward the Lakers, and finding another coaching job isn't currently on his mind, writes Janis Carr of the Orange County Register.
- Offseason signee Jodie Meeks tells Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that he's getting comfortable playing for Mike D'Antoni and is glad to be a Laker. "I’m glad I picked here," Meeks said. "I was very excited about coming here and playing with a couple Hall of Famers and a great coach. I’m glad I made the decision to come here and I’m looking forward to helping them try to win a championship."
- Jerry West explains to Sam Amick of USA Today why he views Kobe Bryant as the greatest Laker of all time.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Harden, Gasol, Lakers
Whether you love or hate the Heat, you should appreciate the team while it's still in place, writes Ian Thomsen of SportsIllustrated.com. In 2014/15, the "repeater" tax will kick in and bring the most severe financial penalties for high-payroll teams that the league has ever seen. One rival GM predicted that owner Micky Arison will have to break up the big three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh before that happens. More from around the Association..
- Rockets star James Harden told KGOW in Houston that he's already working towards recruiting another elite player, writes Steven Cuce of Sports Radio Interviews. “One player is not going to win a championship. Nowadays you need two or maybe more. I’ve definitely started the recruiting process. We need more guys to come over here, so we can win. For right now we are going to stick with the players we have and try to run with that,” Harden said.
- Pau Gasol's trade value is falling, one GM who previously had interest in the Lakers forward tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (via Twitter). "Now you have to wonder if some of his performance issues are knee-related," said the GM.
- The Lakers were right to turn down offers from Gasol from the Raptors and T'Wolves, writes Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports. Minnesota reportedly pitched former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams and center Nikola Pekovic while Toronto's package centers around Andrea Bargnani.
- Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com (video link) looks at a few trade candidates around the league including Jazz big man Al Jefferson.
Western Rumors: Cousins, Brown, Iguodala, Fisher
A matchup of fourth-place teams, as the Mavs travel to take on the Suns, is the only Western Conference tilt on a two-game night in the NBA, but the action off the court is much juicier. We delivered the latest on the Pau Gasol saga earlier this morning, and now here's more from the West.
- Slumping as he begins his third season, DeMarcus Cousins is nonetheless coveted by several teams around the league, according to Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee, who adds that the Kings remain uninterested in trading the 22-year-old center.
- Mike Brown, still owed $10MM from the Lakers after the team let him go just five games into the season, tells Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times that he'll eventually get back into coaching, but is in no rush.
- Andre Iguodala, who can exercise an early-termination option this summer, is a safer bet to remain with the Nuggets than Carmelo Anthony was as his deal neared an end, according to Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
- Joe Kaiser of ESPN.com, after examining all the other options, believes the Mavs' signing of Derek Fisher was sound (Insider only).
- The Blazers have already declined their 2013/14 option on Luke Babbitt, but they might have to give him another look as an unrestricted free agent next summer now that he's jumped into the rotation, observes Mike Tokito of The Oregonian.
- Rockets interim coach Kelvin Sampson reached out to Carlos Delfino during the summer and touted the ability for the Argentinian swingman to play a significant role with Houston, helping convince him to sign with the team. Jason Friedman of Rockets.com has the details.
Odds & Ends: Howard, Robinson, Kaman, Bradley
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Wednesday evening:
- SportsDayDFW.com's Kevin Sherrington doesn't believe Dwight Howard would leave the Lakers for the Mavericks despite LA's current struggles.
- K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes that Bulls guard Nate Robinson is working on improving his consistency this season.
- Mavericks center Chris Kaman tells Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram that his former team, the Clippers, have a bright future.
- Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com reports that Celtics guard Avery Bradley is making progress towards a return.
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star praises Raptors forward Amir Johnson for his energy and effort.
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday reports that Knicks center Marcus Camby will miss time with plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
David Stern Addresses Media
NBA Commissioner David Stern addressed members of the media while attending the Hornets' game against the Lakers in New Orleans on Wednesday night. Stern, who had previously announced that he is stepping down as Commissioner on February 1, 2014, spoke on several topics. Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.com has a transcription, and the highlights are reprinted below.
On the Hornets' announcement that they plan to change their name to the Pelicans:
“If it works for them, it works for me,” Stern said. “I don’t have any objections to anything that the Hornets want to do name-wise because I’m sure it’ll be sensible. … I’m sure whatever it is, it’ll be good. If [Pelicans] is what it is, that’s fine. … I think everything sounds good. I think Lakers, have you seen any lakes in Los Angeles? There’s the same amount of lakes in L.A. as there is jazz in Utah, or grizzlies in Memphis. I’m out of that business. Whatever works for a team works for me.”
On the Lakers' new TV deal:
“It’s one component of the Lakers’ income that gets accounted for when they make a payment into the revenue sharing pool, so there’s more money to be shared,” Stern said. “The combination of that and the tax tend to act as something of a brake on team spending.”
On Spurs coach Gregg Popovich's controversial decision to rest four players against the Heat on Thursday:
“In the case of San Antonio, they didn’t just come to town and rest healthy players, they sent a 26-year-old and 30-year-old plus Manu and Timmy home virtually under the cover of darkness or light of day, however you do it, without notifying as our rules require for injury and illness. Maybe it’s my mistake not to think injury and illness when you’re secreting someone away should also include deciding to move them out. So in all other circumstances, I thought if we didn’t do something this time there would never be a reason to do it. Only visit to Miami, practically the first month of the season, notifying nobody and sending home young and healthy players, it merited rebut and I did it. And this was a team decision. This is not me and Pop. Pop is a great coach, Hall of Fame coach. This decision was made by the entire senior management and ownership of the San Antonio Spurs and I felt that they were doing what they perceived was their job and I was doing what I perceived as my job and that’s what happens.”
On the ability of small-market teams to compete under the new CBA:
“I don’t have any concerns about small markets under the new CBA,” Stern said. “I think when the tax penalties come in next year, where teams that pay an extra $30 million, for example, might have to pay another $84 million in taxes, lose their right to the mid-level exception, lose their right to sign-and-trade, you will see a substantially modified behavior. Actually, we began to see it this year when Chicago, a ‘large market,’ passed on matching Omer Asik because they don’t want to deal with the $45-million-dollar impact in taxes in the third year. Then New York declined to match Houston’s offer to Jeremy Lin, and Oklahoma City decided to trade James Harden rather than deal with the tax consequences of a max contract, so we’re seeing early green shoots and it’s going to get more profound. I think, together with revenue sharing, it’s going to allow low-grossing teams to compete with high-grossing teams. New Orleans is going to be a profitable team, and the ultimate irony is that you would call it a small market because it’s one of our smallest markets, but they’re going to contribute to revenue sharing.”