Marc Gasol Wins Defensive Player Of The Year
WEDNESDAY, 11:08am: The NBA has officially announced Gasol as Defensive Player of the Year. LeBron James was the runner-up, followed by Ibaka and Noah.
MONDAY, 3:12pm: Marc Gasol will be named Defensive Player of the Year for the 2012/13 NBA season, according to Chris Vernon of 92.9 FM ESPN in Memphis (via Twitter). An official announcement will likely come later this week.
Award season started for the NBA today, when J.R. Smith was officially named the Sixth Man of the Year. The Defensive Player of the Year field was considered fairly wide open, with a number of deserving candidates based on both traditional and more advanced statistics. When I asked earlier this month who deserved the award, Gasol received fewer votes than Larry Sanders, Joakim Noah, and Serge Ibaka.
Gasol, who averaged 7.8 RPG, 1.7 BPG, and 1.0 SPG this season for the Grizzlies, didn't have exceptional traditional stats. However, he anchored a Memphis defense that ranked second in the NBA in points per 100 possessions (97.4), and the team's defensive numbers were noticeably better when he was on the court.
Western Notes: Brand, Mavs, Nash, Suns, Grizzlies
Western Conference home teams are 5-0 in playoff games so far, after Chris Paul's buzzer-beater lifted the Clippers to a thrilling Game Two win over the Grizzlies last night. The Nuggets will look to make it six straight victories for favorites in the West tonight against the Warriors. While we wait for that game, let's check out some items from around the conference:
- Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com explores whether Elton Brand will be back with the Mavericks next season or wearing another team's uniform.
- Asked about his former team in Dallas, Steve Nash pointed to all the one-year contracts the Mavs handed out last summer, noting that it's a "difficult situation" when so many players have uncertain futures. Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram has the quotes from Nash.
- Nash also spoke to Sam Amick of USA Today about his injury-plagued 2012/13 season, stressing that he was "not even close" to considering retirement.
- In his NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Lang Greene takes a look at the upcoming summer for the Suns and talks to J.J. Hickson about free agency.
- Given the Grizzlies' cap situation, Tom Ziller of SBNation.com wonders if the team's front office will explore moving Zach Randolph this summer.
Kyler On Paul, Teague, Jack, Billups, Bledsoe
In his latest NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler focuses on the playoff point guards that may be heading for free agency once their respective seasons end. Kyler has tidbits on those players, as well as notes on Eric Bledsoe and Phil Jackson, so let's check out the highlights:
- Chris Paul is essentially a lock to re-sign with the Clippers and he'll have a "tremendous amount of input" in the team's roster moves and overall direction.
- The Hawks will extend a qualifying offer to Jeff Teague, and while the club plans to keep its options open, it's unlikely that Teague will end up leaving Atlanta.
- Jerryd Bayless is expected to decline his player option in search of a longer-term contract.
- There's mutual interest in a new deal between Jarrett Jack and the Warriors, and the team will have Jack's Bird Rights, but the Warriors figure to be well into the tax unless they can make a cost-cutting move or two, which could complicate negotiations.
- If Chauncey Billups doesn't return to the Clippers, retirement is more likely for him than signing with another club.
- The Bucks will definitely match almost any offer sheet signed by Brandon Jennings, though if he receives the max from a rival suitor, Milwaukee will "have to seriously look at that."
- While Bledsoe is expected to be an offseason trade candidate, Clippers sources are adamant that they don't need to make a decision on Bledsoe until the summer of 2014, or at least next year's trade deadline.
- With a handful of head coaching jobs already opened up, Jackson's name will pop up frequently in the next several weeks, but Kyler hears that the odds of the 11-time champion accepting a coaching job aren't great.
Grizzlies Sign Donte Greene
WEDNESDAY, 2:02pm: The Grizzlies have officially signed Greene, according to a team release.
TUESDAY, 12:14pm: After agreeing to sign Willie Reed and waiving Dexter Pittman on the weekend, the Grizzlies are expected to make one more roster move before the regular season ends, according to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal. Tillery tweets that the team will likely sign free agent forward Donte Greene.
Greene, 25, had been set to sign with the Nets last August before a fractured ankle sidelined him for several months, voiding his agreement with Brooklyn. Upon getting healthy, he reportedly drew NBA interest, but failed to land a contract. Last we heard, Greene was preparing to join a team in Puerto Rico earlier this month.
Like Reed's deal with the Grizzlies, Greene's contract is expected to include a non-guaranteed option for 2013/14, according to Tillery (Twitter link). That makes sense, since I would guess the club is getting a headstart on its Summer League squad and training camp roster for next season, rather than expecting Reed and Greene to play a role in this spring's playoff run.
Having waived Pittman, the Grizzlies won't need to make any further roster moves to clear room. Adding both Reed and Greene would give the team the maximum 15 players.
Grizzlies Sign Willie Reed
WEDNESDAY, 2:01pm: The Grizzlies have officially signed Reed, the team announced in a press release.
SUNDAY, 5:27pm: Reed's deal will be a multi-year, non-guaranteed pact, according to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (on Twitter).
3:17pm: The Grizzlies have signed Willie Reed for the remainder of the season, agent Joel Bell tells Shams Charania of RealGM (via Twitter). Reed, 22, played two seasons at St. Louis before going undrafted in the 2011 NBA draft.
Reed averaged 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.8 blocks for the Springfield Armor of the NBA Developmental League. Terms of Reed's deal beyond the 2012/13 season are currently being worked on between the Grizzlies and Bell.
Western Notes: Mayo, Blazers, Clark, Prince
We rounded up a few items from out of the Eastern Conference earlier in the day. Now let's head west….
- Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle had harsh words for O.J. Mayo during and after last night's game against the Grizzlies, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com details. Mayo is widely expected to decline his 2013/14 player option and test free agency this summer, though MacMahon notes that the USC product recently told ESPNDallas.com he has yet to make a decision on the option.
- Carlisle's comments on Mayo show why the Trail Blazers shouldn't consider pursuing the shooting guard if he hits free agency this summer, says Dwight Jaynes of CSNNW.com.
- According to a Sports Business Daily report passed along by HoopsHype, Earl Clark has changed agents, making the transition from Happy Walters of Relativity Sports to Kevin Bradbury at BDA Sports.
- Having been acquired by the Grizzlies in January's Rudy Gay blockbuster, Tayshaun Prince is excited to be back in the postseason, and tells Derek Page of HoopsWorld he's happy for Ed Davis and Austin Daye, who also came to Memphis in the deal.
Grizzlies Waive Dexter Pittman
The Grizzlies announced that they have waived center Dexter Pittman. The big man totaled two points and five rebounds in 20 minutes in seven appearances with the Grizzlies. Pittman was cut loose to make room for the signing of Willie Reed.
Memphis acquired the 25-year-old along with a 2013 second round draft pick from the Heat in exchange for the draft rights to Ricky Sanchez on Feb. 21. The three-year veteran holds career averages of 2.4 points and 1.8 rebounds on .454 shooting in 7.2 minutes in 48 games with Miami and Memphis.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Allen, Bucks, Muhammad
Here's this afternoon's look around the Association..
- As it stands now, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel sees the Heat using the amnesty clause on Mike Miller. While the vet is a great locker room influence, it doesn't make sense for Miami to carry his contract. There's also the possibility that Miami finds a trade for Miller, but that could prove difficult.
- The Bucks never made Ray Allen an offer to return when he was a free agent over the summer, writes Gery Woelfel of the Journal Times. “I considered Memphis and Minnesota. That’s the plate I was looking at. Those were the teams that were offering me to go play for them," the guard said.
- More from Woelfel, who writes that two NBA executives who once considered UCLA swingman Shabazz Muhammad a legitimate top-three draft pick now have him outside their top ten. It's possible that the news that the Bruins star is actually 20 as opposed to 19 has hurt his stock.
- Dwight Howard and Lakers coach Mike D'Antoni are divided on the club's offensive philosophy, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
Southwest Links: Kaman, Mavs, Hollins, Rockets
The Southwest's three playoff teams will battle for playoff seeding tonight, as the Spurs look for a win over the Kings to keep pace with the top-seeded Thunder, while the Grizzlies play the Rockets in Houston. As we look forward to a busy night of NBA action, let's check out some more updates out of the division….
- Speaking to Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Chris Kaman reiterated that he'd like to return to the Mavericks next season, a stance he has conveyed before. "I'd love to be back, but I don't know what's going to happen with the organization,'' Kaman said. "It's up to the owners and the coaches and all that — whoever decides all that stuff."
- ESPN.com's Marc Stein appeared on 103.3 KESN FM in Dallas this week to address the Mavericks' top offseason targets, and the Dallas Morning News has a couple key quotes from the ESPN.com scribe.
- Following up on a report from the Memphis Commercial Appeal on Lionel Hollins' job status, Chris Herrington of the Memphis Flyer takes an in-depth look at whether Hollins will, and should, be back on the Grizzlies' bench next season.
- Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld spoke to Rockets GM Daryl Morey about the Portsmouth Invitational Tournament, noting that "a good Portsmouth seems to help players a lot more than a bad Portsmouth hurts them." Morey said he usually arrives in Portsmouth with a list of six to 12 key players to watch.
Hollins Confident His Fate Isn’t Tied To Playoffs
Lionel Hollins doesn't believe a "growing perception" that the Grizzlies may be waiting to see if the team advances past the first round of the playoffs before deciding whether to bring him back, writes Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal. Hollins and the team haven't discussed an extension to his deal, which is up at the end of the season. Still, a source recently told Marc Stein of ESPN.com that Hollins is "very likely" to receive a new contract after the playoffs even if the team bows out in the first round.
"There are a lot of teams that have successful seasons that don’t win in the first round," the coach said. "Look at San Antonio against us a couple of years ago. They won 61 games. That’s a successful season. But what happens in the playoffs is a different story. They caught a team on the rise and playing well. It happens."
Players, including Marc Gasol, Mike Conley and Tony Allen, spoke in support of Hollins, as Tillery details. There have been rumors of a rift between Hollins and Zach Randolph, but both said last month that such speculation wasn't true.
Hollins will likely have offers from other teams if he hits the offseason without a deal, but he's nonetheless made it clear he wants to remain in Memphis, according to Tillery. Hollins criticized the team's Rudy Gay trade earlier this season, but later said it was an emotional reaction, and that he's on board with the team's revamped management, which places a greater emphasis on analytics.