Howard Hints At Long-Term Future With Lakers
Before the Lakers acquired Dwight Howard from the Magic last month, reports suggested that Howard would be amenable to a long-term stay in Los Angeles. However, since the blockbuster four-team trade was consummated, nothing has materialized on that front.
Yesterday though, there was a hint from Howard himself that he may be leaning toward remaining in Los Angeles for the next few years. Howard tweeted a photo of himself and Lakers Hall-of-Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, adding: "Me and @kaj33 together. For many years to come." Abdul-Jabbar posted the same photo on his own Twitter account, writing: "Laker Nation is in great hands for years to come."
The tweets don't mean anything on their own, of course, and plenty could change between now and next July. Still, it appears that Howard is prioritizing a long-term future with the Lakers, even if he and the team won't talk about a new deal until after the season, as Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes.
As I noted when I examined potential contract scenarios for Howard and next summer's other big free agents (Chris Paul and Andrew Bynum), D12 could earn a guarantee worth more than $117MM by re-signing with the Lakers next summer. If he signed an in-season extension, his guarantee would cap out at about $66MM, whereas a free agent contract with another team next July could earn him up to about $87MM.
Odds & Ends: Ibaka, Thunder, 2013 Draft, D12
A happy Labor Day to our American readers, and a happy Labour Day to those in Canada! This holiday Monday hasn't been a busy one when it comes to NBA news and rumors, but there are still a number of noteworthy links trickling in. Let's round up a few of them….
- On the heels of Serge Ibaka's four-year extension with the Thunder, Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman outlines five ways Ibaka can prove he's worth the $49MM+ he'll earn.
- Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman considers a reader's theory on why the Thunder won't let James Harden hit free agency, concluding that there's still no way of knowing whether Harden will get an extension.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld takes an early look at the prospects expected to be at or near the top of draft boards next June.
- Dwight Howard is looking forward to getting the opportunity to work out with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar when he gets healthy, writes Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Stephen Brotherson fields readers' questions in a chat for HoopsWorld, discussing Kyle Lowry, James Harden, Tomislav Zubcic, and more.
Matt Barnes In Talks With Multiple Teams
Matt Barnes hasn't exactly had an ideal summer, but the unrestricted free agent swingman indicated to TMZ.com that he and his agent are making progress toward an NBA contract. His minutes with the Lakers dwindled in the playoffs this year, and he was arrested for allegedly threatening a police officer who stopped him with a warrant for driving on a suspended license. Days later, Barnes was sued for allegedly rear-ending a car on an L.A. freeway. Still, a return to the Lakers remains a possibility.
"They are one of the teams we're talking to," Barnes said. "There's a couple other teams, so hopefully we'll get this arrest situation out of the way, so I can go ahead and move forward with my career."
The Lakers hold Barnes' Early Bird rights, so even though they're well over the tax apron, they could give him a deal worth as much as $5.276MM next season. It's unlikely he'd get nearly that much, though, and since an Early Bird contract must be for at least two years, the Lakers might be reluctant to give him any more than the minimum, which would require only a one-year commitment. Writing for CBSSports.com, Ben Golliver says the Lakers wouldn't have much room Barnes since they go two-deep at every position, but I think Barnes could beat out Devin Ebanks as the backup small forward, and Dwight Howard's lingering back injury could force coach Mike Brown to do some lineup shuffling that might open up a few more minutes.
There haven't been any legitimate rumors linking Barnes to any other team this offseason, even though some of his numbers from last season suggest the 32-year-old still has a lot left. He averaged 7.8 points and tied a career high with 5.5 rebounds. His PER of 15.5 and rate of 0.8 blocks per game were the best marks of his nine-year career.
Odds & Ends: Magic, Anderson, Wizards, Mavs
As August comes to a close, let's round up a few Friday afternoon odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Even after moving Dwight Howard and Jason Richardson, the Magic remain "open for business" on potential trades, writes Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel.
- New Hornet Ryan Anderson spoke to Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld about his new team and his expectations in New Orleans.
- After signing Martell Webster, the Wizards are "in all likelihood" done making moves this summer, GM Ernie Grunfeld tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
- Tim McMahon of ESPNDallas.com wonders whether Dirk Nowitzki might really retire two years from now.
- Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com explores Vince Carter's role with the Mavericks for the coming season.
- Pete Carril, the creator of the Princeton offense, talked to SI.com's Sam Amick about how the offense might work for the Lakers this year.
- The Cavaliers are "comfortably in stage two of their rebuild," NBA.com's John Schuhmann writes in his preview of the team's 2012/13 season.
Odds & Ends: Shaq, Wilkerson, Vaughn
The Lakers will retire Shaquille O'Neal's #34 jersey on April 2nd at Staples Center before the team faces the Mavericks, tweets Kevin Ding of The Orange County Register. He adds that the team will also retire center Jamaal Wilkes' #52 jersey on December 28. Also, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's statue will be unveiled on November 16, according to Ding (via Twitter). Here's what else we're hearing from the NBA this evening…
- Tyler Wilkerson has received an offer to attend training camp with the Spurs after a standout performance with their summer league team, says Dan McCarney of Spurs Nation. McCarney cited a tweet from NBA agent Seth A. Cohen for making the announcement.
- John Denton of NBA.com highlights Magic head coach Jacque Vaughn as he prepares for his first season with Orlando and obtains some thoughts regarding his newly hired assistant coaches.
- According to an ESPN.com survey of "100 of ESPN's best basketball minds", the Lakers received 56 votes and the Thunder finished with 42 on the topic of who will be the Western Conference champions this year.
- Moke Hamilton of SheridanHoops.com reviewed a list of the remaining NBA teams with cap and trade exceptions.
- Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio doesn't think that the Cavaliers are actively trying to move Daniel Gibson, contrary to what other rumblings might suggest (Twitter link). In a separate tweet, he asserts that Kyrie Irving is ahead of his recovery schedule and should be ready by training camp on October 1.
- Head coach Doug Collins likes the pieces that the 76ers have heading into training camp and is excited to start work, writes Marc Narducci of Philly.com.
Odds & Ends: Pacers, Patterson, Evans, Lakers
This year's Hall of Fame induction takes place a week from Saturday, and as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes, the list of presenters, led by Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson, threatens to overshadow the inductees, headlined by Reggie Miller. The figures who'll be enshrined are not without their accomplishments, however, and among them is Don Nelson, the NBA's all-time winningest coach. Nelson recently spoke about a missed opportunity to take over as coach of the Celtics in 1983, the origins of his trademark small-ball style, and how his relationship with Sarunas Marciulionis changed the way he coached. Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com has the details, and we've got more from around the Association:
- The Pacers promoted Peter Dinwiddie, the team's director of basketball administration, vice president of basketball operations, the Associated Press reports (via ESPN.com). Dinwiddie will assist GM Kevin Pritchard and team president Donnie Walsh.
- Rockets power forward Patrick Patterson says he's ready to assume a leadership role for the team after all the roster turnover this offseason, and talks about the influence of Luis Scola with Jason Friedman of Rockets.com.
- SheridanHoops.com founder Chris Sheridan believes the development of Isaiah Thomas and the signing of Aaron Brooks signal that Tyreke Evans and the Kings will soon part ways.
- The Lakers' acquisition of Dwight Howard has been the story of the summer, but if his back won't allow him to start the season on time, the team will have some lineup shuffling to do, writes Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Times.
- Blazers Wesley Matthews and Elliot Williams, who have both spent the summer recovering from injuries, are ready to go for training camp, notes Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge.
- Former first-round draft choice Reece Gaines has given up his pursuit of a return to the NBA and will be an assistant coach at Bellarmine University, an NCAA Division II school, Michael Grant of the Courier-Journal reports. Gaines was the 15th overall pick of the 2003 draft by the Magic, but appeared in only 71 NBA games, the last of which was in 2005/06 with the Bucks.
Odds & Ends: Smith, Knicks, Rockets, Suns
On this date in 2004 at the Athens Olympics, Argentina won its first-ever Olympic gold medal in men's basketball and became the first country other than the United States to win the gold medal since 1988. Luis Scola had 25 points as Argentina steamrolled Italy to win it all, 84-69. Here's this afternoon's look around the Association…
- J.R. Smith's brother Chris Smith has a good chance of making the Knicks' roster, a source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link). Berman cites Smith's defensive potential and Iman Shumpert's injury as reasons why the younger Smith could be a fit.
- According to a Europa Press report (link in Spanish), Sergio Llull is happy with Real Madrid and has no intention of leaving the club. Llull, who played a major role for Spain at the Olympics in London, expressed a desire to finish his career with Real Madrid despite strong interest from the Rockets, the team that drafted him in 2009.
- As part of the team's offseason makeover, the Suns are putting a greater emphasis on player development, as Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic writes.
- Sixers coach Doug Collins says that he hopes to use Spencer Hawes in a "Pau Gasol role" alongside the newly-acquired Andrew Bynum, writes Max Rappaport of NBA.com. Collins notes that Hawes, like Gasol, has the ability to play on the perimeter thanks to his ability to shoot and pass.
- Zach Lowe of SI.com wonders how Kobe Bryant will mesh with the revamped Lakers roster in 2012/13. Bryant's elite basketball IQ and style of play could make his transition to the Princeton offense a smooth one, but he'll have to work more quickly than he's used to.
- Hawks GM Danny Ferry will bring back former coach Bob Weiss to join Larry Drew’s staff as an adviser, writes Michael Cunningham of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Former Knicks assistant Kenny Atkinson has also officially been hired as an assistant coach. Atkinson has been in talks with the club since early August.
Kyler On Gasol, Randolph, Boozer, Heat, Perkins
In his latest NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler examines a few players that may not be a part of their respective teams' long-term plans. Let's round up the highlights from Kyler's piece….
- According to Kyler, 2012/13 is "likely [Pau] Gasol's last season with the Lakers," and some people even believe he'll be dealt by the trade deadline if Dwight Howard is healthy and dominant. However, it's more likely that the team commits to the current roster for the full season and re-evaluates things next July. Given the $19MM+ Gasol is owed in 2013/14, along with the CBA's more punitive luxury tax penalties, the odds Pau remains with the team until the end of his contract are "astronomically small," says Kyler.
- The Grizzlies shopped Zach Randolph around the time of the draft, but didn't find a suitor with serious interest. Of the Memphis players with big, long-term deals, Randolph is probably the one the team is most open to moving, says Kyler.
- Bulls sources maintained this summer that amnestying Carlos Boozer has "never been a real consideration," but the team figures to revisit that issue in future offseasons.
- Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem are both future amnesty candidates for the Heat, though Miller could end up eventually retiring for medical reasons.
- If one or more of the Thunder's big-man projects (Cole Aldrich, Hasheem Thabeet, Daniel Orton) shows promise and consistency this season, Oklahoma City could be faced with a decision on Kendrick Perkins. His contract and health questions may make him a trade or amnesty candidate, particularly if the team locks up James Harden to a big contract.
Lakers Notes: Howard, Gasol, Bryant, Preseason
It has only been about 24 hours, but as of now over 57 percent of Hoops Rumors readers think that the Lakers will have more wins next season than the reigning Western Conference champion Thunder. We know what Kevin Durant had to say, and as we have learned with the Heat, it takes some time for new pieces to translate into a championship caliber club. Titles are not won on paper. Nevertheless, the Lakers are the talk of the NBA for a reason. Let's round up all the Lakers links on this Monday night:
- Dwight Howard coming to Los Angeles is just one of a number of moves that has transformed the L.A. sports scene into something special, says Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times. The cache of Los Angeles has always drawn elite NBA talent, and it appears that effect has begun to overflow outside of just the Lakers.
- Pau Gasol checked in with Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles on a wide variety of topics, including his performance in the Olympics as well as the Dwight Howard trade. Asked what to expect from the Lakers offense this year, he said, "We have to understand that there’s only one basketball to play with and we have a lot of players that can put the ball in the hole, and I’ll try to do my best to be assertive, to be active and be aggressive."
- According to HoopsWorld, Durant claims that Kobe Bryant was extremely confident that the Lakers would end up with Howard a month before the trade went down.
- Mike Trudell, who covers the Lakers for NBA.com, checked in at the new-look Lakers practice facility to see what players have already shown up to work out. According to the team's strength and conditioning coach, Devin Ebanks, Andrew Goudelock, Jordan Hill, Darius Morris and Metta World Peace have all frequented the facility.
Odds & Ends: Buford, Howard, Rockets, Layden
While it's been widely assumed heading into the 2012/13 campaign that the Nets will take the Magic's spot in the Eastern Conference playoff picture, the rest of the East's lottery teams may be expecting a little more turnover than that. Count Jonas Jerebko of the Pistons among those expecting a shake-up in the Eastern standings — asked about the coming season in Germany recently, Jerebko declared that his Pistons are "going to make the playoffs," as James Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press writes.
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- Undrafted rookie William Buford, out of Ohio State, has signed in Spain with Obradoiro, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.
- Andy Kamenetzky of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes an open letter to Dwight Howard, advising him on how to avoid creating a Dwightmare sequel in Los Angeles.
- Doug Collins believes current Sixers assistant and former Pistons head coach Michael Curry is ready to lead an NBA team again, as Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press notes.
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld identifies five young players that will be under pressure to take big steps forward in 2012/13, including three recent signees.
- Despite missing out on Dwight Howard and other impact players this summer, the Rockets still hope to contend for the playoffs, GM Daryl Morey tells Fran Blinebury of NBA.com.
- The Spurs will interview Jazz assistant coach Scott Layden for their assistant GM opening, according to Jody Genessy of the Deseret News.