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Odds & Ends: Hollins, Nets, Allen, Raptors, Pacers

June 5th, 2013 at 10:41pm CST by Chuck Myron

Game One of the NBA Finals will be ending about 24 hours from now, and while the Spurs will provide more evidence for the rest-versus-rust debate, many expect them to find their rhythm before long. The majority of Hoops Rumors readers who voted in today's poll say San Antonio will beat the Heat. While we wait to see if they're right, here's more from around the NBA:

  • The Grizzlies rebuffed the Nets when they asked for permission to interview Lionel Hollins the day after the Western Conference Finals ended, but Memphis would likely grant that permission now if Brooklyn inquired again, TNT's David Aldridge hears (Twitter link).
  • Ray Allen feels his return to the Finals with the Heat provides a measure of vindication for his decision to sign with Miami last summer, observes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
  • Mike Ganter of the Toronto Sun looks at what Tim Leiweke and Masai Ujiri have done and said since arriving in town and concludes that the Raptors will soon be rebuilding.
  • Mike Wells of the Indianapolis Star, writing for USA Today, details five key questions the Pacers must answer this summer.
  • The shakeup continues for the Kings, as Jerry Reynolds will step down as the team's director of player development, he tells Chris Riva of KCRA-TV.
  • The Knicks worked out Deshaun Thomas today and will get another look at him Friday, reports Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link), who also notes that Cody Zeller will work out Thursday for the Suns. Thomas will also work out later this month for the Timberwolves, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune, apparently clearing up earlier confusion involving Adonis Thomas.
  • The Sixers auditioned Steven Adams, Colton Iverson, Alex Oriakhi, Mouhammadou Jaiteh and Jamelle Hagins today, tweets Jake L. Fischer of SLAM Online.
  • Ray McCallum, who will work out sometime this month for the Pistons, has also worked out with the Spurs, Rockets and Pacers, notes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
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Poll: Who Will Win The NBA Finals?

June 5th, 2013 at 4:52pm CST by Luke Adams

We're a little over 24 hours away from Game One of this year's NBA Finals, which means there's only one appropriate question to ask in today's poll: Who will 2013's champion be? The Heat or the Spurs?

The Heat finished the regular season on a 37-2 run for a 66-16 overall record, giving them home-court advantage in the Finals. They're the defending champs and they have the world's best player in LeBron James, but they're coming off a couple grueling series against the Bulls and Pacers, inculding a seven-game Eastern Finals.

The Spurs, meanwhile, only had the second-best record in the West, but blew through the postseason, going 12-2 against the Lakers, Warriors, and Grizzlies, with a pair of sweeps. They've had plenty of time to get ready for the Finals, but there's always a concern that the extra rest will turn into rust by the time the next series begins.

Who do you like? Weigh in with your selection in the poll and feel free to specify a number of games and/or explain your reasoning in the comments section. Having picked the Heat over the Spurs before the season got underway, I'll stick with my pick, and take Miami in seven games.

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Odds & Ends: LeBron, Barry, Pierce, Suns

June 2nd, 2013 at 10:25pm CST by Zachary Links

LeBron James is feeling the heat as he's seeing flashbacks to his shortcomings with the Cavs, opines Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer.  For Pluto, the message of the series is that even when you stack your roster, there rarely is a smooth playoff road ahead.  Things can go wrong, players can get hurt, and team chemistry can fizzle.  The Heat will face the Pacers in Game 7 on Monday night and if Miami gets bounced, you can bet on the summer of 2014 talk ramping up in a hurry.  Here's more from around the Association..

  • The NBA salary cap won't change much from this season to next season as Marc Stein of ESPN.com (Twitter link) hears that it will go from $58.044MM to $58.5MM.
  • Rick Barry realizes that his outspoken ways may have cost him an NBA job, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.  The 69-year-old lives in Denver and hosts a nationally syndicated talk show but hasn't had the kind of opportunities that most players of his stature have gotten.  Barry infamously attempted to teach Shaquille O'Neal his grandma-style free throw technique years ago in offseason practice sessions, but the big man refused to implement it during the season.
  • HoopsWorld's Derek Page ran down the top five free agent small forwards this summer.  Andre Iguodala and Paul Pierce are among the notable names on the list, but they may not see the open market.
  • The HoopsWorld staff debated what the Suns should do with the No. 5 pick.  Shabazz Muhammad is suggested as an intriguing fit for Phoenix, but his baggage likely wouldn't be worth the risk.
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Odds & Ends: Celtics, Heat, Cuban

June 1st, 2013 at 10:57pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Celtics are at a crossroads and the shrouded future of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce are a large reason why. Pierce is only guaranteed $5MM next year if the Celtics waive him before June 30th. But he's owed $15.3MM next year if they decide to make another run with this group, or deal him for assets.

Sources revealed to Jackie MacMullan at ESPNBoston.com yesterday, that Garnett will play next year even if Pierce doesn't come back.  But it's likely the aging star would retire if the Celtics blow it up entirely. Garnett still has 2 years and over $24MM left on the 3-year deal he signed last summer.

Then again, anything that's considered "likely" for the Celtics will be "laughed at" because nothing is certain at this point. Plus, trading Pierce and excavating the rest of the Celtics' aging roster will be hard to do with the money still owed Jason Terry, Brandon Bass and Courtney Lee. 

Chris Forsberg at ESPNBoston.com attacked the Celtics' offseason plans with a four-pronged approach, and he finally finished with his fourth hypothetical: a complete teardown. Starting over for the C's involves general manager Danny Ainge unloading the rest of the nucleus that won the Celtics a title in 2008, and was just one fourth quarter collapse away from a second in 2010. 

Here's what else is happening around the league as the Pacers beat the Heat 91-77 to force a game 7 in the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night.

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Odds & Ends: Jackson, Drew, Allen, Hollins

May 30th, 2013 at 7:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Although Phil Jackson recently criticized Mike D'Antoni and seemed skeptical about the thought of Dwight Howard wanting to re-sign with the Lakers, the eleven-time NBA champion coach appeared to backtrack on those comments during an appearance on the Willard and Thompson Show on 710 ESPN Radio in Los Angeles (Mark Medina of the L.A. Daily News). Also, Jackson reiterated that he has no plans of coaching again and explained how he's still somewhat connected with his former team: "I’m playing a role regardless whether I’m hired and on the staff and part of the payroll, I’m here to be a sounding board and personal companion to my fiance, who’s the chief operating officer I guess you would say of the Lakers. As they ferry their way through these contract problems they have and the whole mess they have right now in the organization, I’m listening. There’s not a whole lot I’m doing. But my role right now is to be attentive and supportive.”

Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous news and notes:

  • The Pistons and former Hawks coach Larry Drew appear to have some mutual interest in an interview for Drew, sources tell Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Drew is believed to be one of two finalists for the Bucks' coaching opening, along with Rockets assistant Kelvin Sampson. 
  • Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida tweets that Heat guard Ray Allen hasn't thought about whether or not he'll pick up his $3.23MM player option this summer.
  • Marc J. Spears of Yahoo tweets that the Nets, Clippers, and Bucks have not contacted the Grizzlies for permission to talk to Lionel Hollins as of yet. Coincidentally, we relayed a report yesterday which indicated that the 59-year-old coach doesn't expect to be granted permission to speak with other teams before his contract expires on June 30.
  • In light of the rumblings that the Nuggets might not match the Raptors' five-year, $15MM offer to Masai Ujiri, SBNation’s Tom Ziller makes the argument that coaches and general managers should be paid more.
  • Ben Couch of BrooklynNets.com reviews Gerald Wallace’s season in Brooklyn. Just over a month ago, Wallace had alarmingly admitted that he didn’t “have a clue” as to what his role on the team was, but as of today the veteran forward seemed to be encouraged about what his future holds with the Nets: "All in all I think this was kind of a down year for me, but I feel comfortable and excited about the way I finished the season," Wallace says."I'm going into the summer knowing the things I can do to get better."
  • Marcus Thompson of Mercury News reported that Warriors big man David Lee had surgery to repair a torn right hip flexor today and is expected to begin rehab within the next two weeks.
  • According to Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post, Nuggets forward Danilo Gallinari had a slight setback in rehab and won't have surgery on his ACL for another two weeks. Consequently, an expected return date of January 1 has now changed to late January or February. 
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Odds & Ends: Howard, Rockets, Clifford, Heat

May 27th, 2013 at 10:12pm CST by Zachary Links

Here's tonight's look around the Association as the three-day weekend comes to a close..

  • Sources around Dwight Howard say that he is high on the Rockets, but those are the same sources who said that he would fight hard to go to the Nets, Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld notes.  If he does end up in Houston, Ingram believes he'll be disappointed to learn that the offense will still run through James Harden.
  • While nothing is sure with Howard, Ingram (via Twitter) sees him winding up with the Rockets when all is said and done.
  • Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (on Twitter) likes the Bobcats' hire of Steve Clifford.  Clifford has done everything in the league and seems ready for the job, which Bonnell couldn't say for Mike Dunlap.
  • Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today writes that Chris Andersen has been a perfect addition for the Heat.
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Eastern Notes: Bulls, Knicks, Magic

May 25th, 2013 at 8:26pm CST by Spencer Lund

Following up on the NBA's review of the Dwyane Wade elbow to Lance Stephenson near the end of game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Heat and Pacers, we have a couple tweets with more info:

  • Ethan J. Skolnick the Sun-Sentinel says that just because nothing has happened tonight and may not, that doesn't mean the NBA won't take action tomorrow against Wade for the seemingly inadvertant elbow to Stephenson's head (Twitter link).
  • Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida says that because today is a travel day for the Pacers and Heat that might be the cause for the delay in announcements after the NBA's review of the play. (Twitter link).
  • Sports Illustrated columnist, Ian Thomsen, discusses the similarities between this season's Eastern Conference Final and last season's Eastern Conference Semifinal. Last year the Heat lost game 2 and home court advantage too, plus they lost game 3 in Indiana to go down 2-1 to the Pacers. They then rebounded to win three-straight to head to the Finals.

Here are some more notes from around the Eastern Conference..

  • The Bulls' winning percentage when Carlos Boozer, Luol Deng, Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose share the floor is 86% writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. That's probably why the Bulls' general manager Gar Forman will keep Boozer and Deng this offseason. 
  • Former Bulls coach, and man-about-town for open GM and coaching positions, Phil Jackson, discussed his new book and his future with the Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson. 
  • The Magic are a young team looking to rebuild through the draft with smart moves by their young general manager Rob Hennigan. The Orlando Sentinel's Mike Bianchi writes that's why Magic fans should root for a Pacers–Spurs matchup in the Finals; their presence would prove that small market teams can be successful without "buying championships."
  • Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com with part 1 of the Knicks' offseason notebook. Zwerling discusses who the Knicks might select with the 24th pick in July's draft and which players they may target in free agency, or through the draft, who could fulfill their need for a fast and explosive backup point guard for Raymond Felton. 
  • Chris Forsberg at ESPNBoston.com already mentioned  the dozen players the Celtics welcomed over the last two days as they continue to decide where they're headed in an uncertain offseason. A. Sherrod Blakely at CSN New England talks with two of those invites: guard, Shane Larkin of Miami, and Pittsburgh's center, Steven Adams.  
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Heat – Pacers Notes: Wade, Stephenson, Andersen

May 25th, 2013 at 6:10pm CST by Spencer Lund

According to an anonymous source familiar with the situation, USA Today Sports' Jeff Zillgitt reports the NBA is reviewing Dwyane Wade's elbow to Lance Stephenson's face last night in game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.  

With 4:05 left in game 2, Wade turned the ball over to the Pacers. As he was sprinting back on defense, Wade jumped to avoid Stephenson and hit him in the head with his elbow. Stephenson remained in the game.

Zillgitt believes the hit by Wade appears "too nebulus to warrant a suspension," but the office of NBA vice president Stu Jackson is reviewing the specific play in question.  Some other notes from the Eastern Conference Final entrants:

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Heat Notes: LeBron, Howard, Wade, Bosh

May 25th, 2013 at 12:29pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we rounded up the latest links out of Indiana and in the interest of equal time we'll do the same for Miami..

  • Paul George and the up-and-coming Pacers have earned the respect of LeBron James, writes Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports.
  • Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel wonders if the Cavs winning the 2013 lottery helps to improve the club's chances of landing James in the summer of 2014.  While Cleveland figures to be a serious threat if James exercises his ETO, Winderman notes that the Heat will have one less competitor if Dwight Howard leaves the Lakers this summer.  Without Howard, James likely wouldn't consider L.A. next year.
  • Sam Amico of FOX Sports (via Twitter) agrees with David Stern's assessment of Miami as a middle market since no one viewed them as a big market until the formation of the big three.  Meanwhile, Amico argues that market size is largely irrelevant in today's world given the nature of television and social media (link).
  • In today's mailbag, Winderman writes that LeBron is being forced to put too much on his shoulders offensively with Dwyane Wade injured and Chris Bosh struggling.
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Eastern Notes: Jackson, Dumars, Carlesimo

May 23rd, 2013 at 7:56pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Considering the rumblings that Pistons GM Joe Dumars had his sights set on either Nate McMillan or Maurice Cheeks as the team's next head coach, along with the notion that Dumars had apparently hoped to make a hire before the start of last week's NBA Pre-Draft Camp in Chicago, ESPN's Chris Broussard wonders if the hold up with regards to a coaching decision gives any indication that Phil Jackson – recently tabbed as an adviser for the head coaching search - could soon be running Detroit's front office (Insiders only). According to popular thought around the league, Brian Shaw would be Jackson's first choice, and while some insist that Dumars is still in charge as the general manager, Broussard suggests that their next coaching hire will be a strong indicator of how much control the Pistons legend still has of the franchise. Here are more notes out of the Eastern Conference tonight: 

  • Jackson – a member of two championship Knicks teams as a player – spoke with Harvey Araton of the New York Times about the current makeup of his former team and how he compares them with their cross-town rival Nets: "(The Knicks) still have to find some accommodating group of guys that know how to play ball together, move the ball, play the game the right way…With Brooklyn, if you’ve got a point guard and a solid center, or a good point guard and a great center, you’ve got two of the pieces that you want to have toward a champion.”
  • According to an NY Post report (via the Associated Press), former Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo is interested in remaining as an ESPN analyst just through the postseason and would consider a coaching opportunity if it presented itself afterward. 
  • Celtics big man Jared Sullinger tells Ben Rohrbach of WEEI.com that he should be 100% healthy by September or October. 
  • Ian Thomsen of Sports Illustrated profiles Chris Andersen, the Heat forward who has shined as one of Miami's key reserves during the current postseason. 
  • Nick Friedell of ESPN Chicago grades Carlos Boozer's season and touches on what's next for the Bulls' forward. 
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