Western Notes: Petrie, D’Antoni, Collison, Batum
Here are a few of today's noteworthy odds and ends from around the Western Conference:
- If the Maloofs are serious about trying to keep the Kings in Sacramento, they need to cut ties with team president Geoff Petrie, argues Ailene Voisin of the Sacramento Bee. According to Voisin, the repeated mistakes made by the NBA's longest-tenured head of basketball operations have "stripped the once-proud franchise of its passion, its identity, its collective soul."
- Coach Mike D'Antoni will make his official debut on the Lakers' bench tonight, he confirmed today to the media, including Mike Trudell of Lakers.com.
- As the Mavericks prepare to face former Dallas point guard Jason Kidd and the Knicks tomorrow night, the Mavs' new point guard, Darren Collison is struggling, as NBA.com's Jeff Caplan writes.
- Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com details how Nicolas Batum's offseason trip to Cameroon gave him a new-found perspective on life during his free agent negotiations.
- Andrew Bogut, who has only appeared in four games during his Warriors' career, will miss at least three more contests before hopefully returning to practice next Monday, the team announced today in a press release.
- Another injured star in the West, Dirk Nowitzki, is now aiming to return to the Mavericks in mid-December, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News.
Lakers Inquired On Gilbert Arenas
After Steve Nash suffered a fracture in his left leg on Halloween, the Lakers contacted Gilbert Arenas, according to Arenas himself. The former Wizard told hupu.com (English translation via HoopsHype) that Lakers assistant coach Eddie Jordan, who used to coach Arenas in Washington, told him that Los Angeles had interest in him. However, Arenas indicated that he'd like to try playing in China, where he recently signed with the Shanghai Sharks.
While it may seem as if playing for the Lakers would be a more desirable opportunity than heading overseas, there's no guarantee that L.A. would have been willing to offer Arenas a guaranteed contract, or any type of contract, for that matter. Additionally, the 30-year-old will receive significantly more playing time for the Sharks, and should still have the opportunity to return to the NBA later this season, when the CBA season ends.
The Lakers also displayed some interest in Arenas last season in their search for backcourt help — the former All-Star worked out for the Lakers, but eventually signed with the Grizzlies.
Western Rumors: Dwight, Morris, Lakers, Blazers
Dwight Howard, who preferred Phil Jackson, might not have been thrilled when the Lakers hired Mike D'Antoni as coach, but D'Antoni has won Howard's affection, according to Helene Elliott of the Los Angeles Times. Elliott also notes that Howard has overcome his objection to following Shaquille O'Neal's path to L.A. "But then once I got here, I just felt like there was no need to worry about people saying I'm following somebody else, but I could blaze my own trail while I'm here, and that's what I plan on doing," Howard said. We rounded up a few D12 items earlier this evening, and now we have more on Howard's team and their Western Conference rivals.
- By signing a one-year deal last season instead of a two-year pact that wasn't fully guaranteed, Darius Morris took a risk that paid off when he signed his qualifying offer this summer, as Mike Bresnahan of the Los Angeles Times details. The point guard, pressed into starting duty for the Lakers, said he'd love to stay in L.A., but left the door open for another outcome when he hits restricted free agency next summer.
- Mark Heisler of HoopsHype lays out an agenda for the Lakers in the coming years, one that starts with re-signing Howard.
- Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge provides a transcript of new Blazers president and CEO Chris McGowan's interview with announcers Mike Barrett and Mike Rice on Blazers Courtside. McGowan reiterated that he's staying out of the team's basketball operations.
- Facing the stress of an impending tug-of-war in restricted free agency over the summer, Nicolas Batum gained perspective from a visit to his ancestral home country of Cameroon last spring, as he told Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- HoopsWorld's Alex Kennedy runs down players who've been pleasant surprises so far. A third of the list is composed of newcomers to Western Conference teams.
Dwight Howard Notes: Silver, D-Will, Nets, Magic
The Dwight Howard saga was the dominant storyline of the year 2012, and while he seems content to be a Laker even as free agency looms this summer, a lot of people are taking a look back on more turbulent times as the Nets prepare to play the Lakers tomorrow night. It seemed for much of the year that Howard would end up in Brooklyn, but Deron Williams was convinced otherwise long before most others, as we detail below.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel has more on deputy commissioner Adam Silver's comments about the way Howard left the Magic. Silver reiterated that the incentive to keep stars with their original teams is one of the league's aims in CBA negotiations.
Earlier updates:
- While others are looking back, Williams is focused squarely on the present, writes Sam Amick of USA Today. "Dwight was never (an option for the Nets)," Williams said. "I don't think (the Magic) were ever going to trade him to us, so it doesn't matter. When he opted in (to his contract for another season in mid-March), it kind of took that option away."
- Howard seems content to put the Nets, as well as Williams, in his past as well, as Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com documents, and it seems the friendship between the two former Team USA teammates has soured. "That’s my decision," Howard said, presumably referring to his decision to opt in. "My life. If he’s upset because I made a decision for me, then so be it. If he doesn’t want to be friends because I’m on another team, then so be it. There’s no need to smooth things over."
- Deputy commissioner Adam Silver, who will take over for commissioner David Stern in 2014, won't look back fondly on this year's "Dwightmare" for the Magic, reports John Denton of Magic.com (Twitter links). "It's an unfortunate circumstance and I don’t want to sugarcoat it," Silver said, referring to Howard's departure from the Magic. "This is not the way we like to see it happen."
Pacific Notes: Gortat, Lakers, Howard, Fredette
Despite the Lakers' early-season struggles, the standings in the Pacific Division are already starting to look pretty close to what we were expecting coming into the season. The Lakers' win last night pulled them into a tie with the Warriors in second place, with the Clippers leading the way and the Suns and Kings below .500. As the Clips and Warriors prepare for tough road matchups tonight, let's check out what's going on around the division:
- Marcin Gortat recently spoke to with Marcin Harasimowicz of Przeglad Sportowy (Polish link) about a number of Suns-related topics, and as Adam Koscielak of Gothic Ginobili notes in his translation, the big man had some interesting things to say. Gortat expressed an unhappiness with the team's style of play and his lack of involvement on offense, adding that the team misses Steve Nash a lot. Gortat also suggested he'd talk to head coach Alvin Gentry about his concerns, though he's not sure "if it will change anything."
- Kobe Bryant and new Laker Dwight Howard are feeling more and more comfortable playing together, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Howard, meanwhile, is looking forward to Tuesday's matchup against the Nets, the team he was nearly traded to earlier this year, as Fred Kerber of the New York Post writes.
- Appearing on KHTK in Sacramento, Jimmer Fredette discussed the Kings' start, his offseason preparation, and adjusting the NBA lifestyle. As we heard over the weekend, the Kings currently have no plans to move Fredette.
Odds & Ends: D’Antoni, Roy, Fisher, Gasol, Bucks
Mike D'Antoni was expected to make his debut as Lakers coach tonight, but his balky knee forced Bernie Bickerstaff to continue as interim coach for one more night. D'Antoni, who'll try to hit the sidelines again Tuesday, has told Bickerstaff he'll remain on the staff this season, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com. D'Antoni did make one change to the coaching staff, however, bringing brother Dan D'Antoni aboard as expected, the team announced. Here's more from an eight-game day and night around the NBA.
- Knee trouble has kept Brandon Roy out for the past 10 days, and now he'll undergo arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, reports Jason Quick of The Oregonian (Twitter links). Quick doesn't indicate how long he'll be continue to be out, but says he'll miss what would have been his return to Portland with the Wolves on Friday.
- The Mavs aren't interested in free agent point guard Derek Fisher, since owner Mark Cuban wants to see what the current roster can do, writes Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News. That means the team will continue to give backup minutes to Dominique Jones, whom the Mavs twice sought to trade earlier this season.
- Larry Coon of HoopsWorld won't rule out a Pau Gasol trade, but doesn't think the Lakers are likely to pull the trigger (Twitter link).
- "Everyone agreed" the Bucks needed a fast start with GM John Hammond and coach Scott Skiles in the final year of their respective deals, according to Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, and at 6-2, the team has delivered.
- Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star calls out Roy Hibbert for his struggles this season, just months after the big man signed a four-year, $58MM deal.
- Before Damian Lillard came into the league, he watched a lot of video of fellow point guard Derrick Rose and picked up a few of the former MVP's habits, observes Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
HoopsWorld On Biggest Disappointments
HoopsWorld.com has a new roundtable feature in which several of the site's writers weigh in on who they believe is the biggest disappointment thus far in the 2012/13 season. Here are the highlights:
- Lang Greene pinpoints Roy Hibbert, signed to a four-year, $58MM contract this summer, as a major reason why the Pacers are underperforming early in the season.
- Alex Kennedy believes that the Raptors' strategy of targeting Landry Fields to make it harder for the Knicks to land Steve Nash backfired. He points to Fields' disappointing start to the season as a reason why the signing is a failure for Toronto.
- Stephen Brotherston writes that Ersan Ilyasova has regressed following what appeared to be a breakout season last year with the Bucks.
- Bill Ingram is frustrated by the continued inconsistent play of JaVale McGee following his re-signing with the Nuggets this summer.
- Derek Page points out that Pau Gasol's offensive efficiency has dropped this season, even more so than expected following the Lakers' addition of Dwight Howard.
- While there is still time for him to mature, Joel Brigham writes that Jeremy Lin has been a disappointment since signing with the Rockets.
Pacific Notes: D’Antoni, Dwight, Rambis, Barnes
Three Pacific Division teams are in action tonight, including the Lakers, who are expected to have Mike D'Antoni on the sideline for the first time. He'll square off against Jeremy Lin and the Rockets, and Howard Beck of The New York Times revisits the brief pairing of the two in New York, one that was beneficial for both, Beck says. We've got more today on D'Antoni, the Lakers, and other news from the Pacific.
- Dwight Howard, who told Howard Beck of The New York Times earlier this week he waived his early termination option last year with the Magic because he "wanted really to make everybody happy," wouldn't have pouted if the Magic had dealt him to the Rockets, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News. "I would've gone there and played. I didn't have a problem with it. At the same time, there were two places that I'd rather go to and I'm here at one of them," said Howard, referring to the Lakers and presumably the Nets. "I'm happy. If I would've gone to Houston, I would've played as hard as I could with the Rockets."
- D'Antoni considered hiring former Phil Jackson aide Kurt Rambis as an assistant coach to address the complaints of Jackson's fans, but Rambis' criticism of D'Antoni on ESPN put the kibosh on that, reports Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game (Sulia link).
- Warriors coach Mark Jackson admits he plays "mind games" to help motivate rookie Harrison Barnes, who has begun to pay dividends, observes Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group.
Atlantic Rumors: Bynum, Joe Johnson, Magloire
The latest news on Andrew Bynum provides plenty of reason for worry, writes John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer, and while Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com thinks Bynum could still wrangle a max deal this summer even if he only plays well over the final two months of the season, Moore isn't sure that scenario would leave enough time for the Sixers to mesh as a team this year. Here's more from the Atlantic Division.
- Joe Johnson is feeling less pressure with the Nets because he isn't the No. 1 option on offense that he was with the Hawks, notes Tim Bontemps of the New York Post.
- The Raptors, who cut Jamaal Magloire in training camp, have hired the Toronto native as a basketball development consultant and community ambassador, the team announced via press release.
- The jury's out how Mike D'Antoni will fit in with the Lakers, but Mike Woodson has already proven successful where D'Antoni wasn't with the Knicks, according to Newsday's Al Iannazzone.
- The Knicks were on the right path during their 6-0 start, but they'll have to do more to become a true contender, opines Stephen A. Smith of ESPN.com.
- Thriving in a Knicks uniform, J.R. Smith has changed his on- and off-court personas from his Nuggets days, observes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
- Benjamin Hoffman of The New York Times says the early returns suggest the Knicks made wise investments in Raymond Felton, Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni, all of whom combine to make less than Jeremy Lin is earning with the Rockets.
- Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Cleveland Plain Dealer is impressed with the ability of the Knicks to improve by getting older this offseason, not typically a successful path for an NBA team.
- Rasheed Wallace, on a non-guaranteed minimum-salary deal, has become a part of the Knicks rotation as Marcus Camby stays glued to the bench despite a three-year, $13.1MM contract, as Marc Berman of the New York Post documents.
Odds & Ends: Bobcats, Nash, Beal, Lakers
Here's a look around the NBA this Saturday evening.
- The Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell wonders if the Bobcats can get anything of value for DeSagana Diop's expiring contract.
- Steve Nash and Dwight Howard are teammates with the Lakers, but both of them could easily have ended up in New York with separate teams, writes Howard Beck of the New York Times.
- NBA.com's Jeff Caplan has a piece on Wizards rookie shooting guard Bradley Beal, who currently leads his struggling team in scoring.
- A quick recap of the Bernie Bickerstaff era as head coach of the Lakers, from ESPNLA.com's Dave McMenamin.
- With James Harden flourishing as a starter with the Rockets, the Oklahoman's John Rohde wonders who will win the Sixth Man of the Year award this season.