Odds & Ends: Hinrich, Williams, Heat, Hansbrough
While some have said that Kirk Hinrich has lost a step, the guard says that he is as healthy as he has been in years. That could make all the difference this season for the Bulls, who need as much as they can get out of the backcourt while Derrick Rose rehabs his knee injury, writes Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld. The point guard has spent the last few years with the Hawks and Wizards while battling injuries and was brought back to be a stabilizing force in Chicago. Hinrich, who is set to earn $8MM over the next two seasons, may not be the player he was five years ago, but could still prove to a strong pickup for the Bulls. Here's more from around the league..
- Atlanta native Lou Williams says that he always envisioned himself playing for his hometown team, writes Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Williams said that there were "three or four teams" in heavy pursuit of him this summer, but he quickly gave the edge to the Hawks once it became clear that they would offer him a fair deal.
- In today's Q-and-A column, a reader asks Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel if the Heat would be better off with a traditional point guard such as Jose Calderon over Mario Chalmers. Winderman doesn't agree, arguing that a typical one-guard isn't needed when LeBron James and Dwyane Wade like to handle the ball as much as they do.
- Undrafted rookie Ben Hansbrough has an uphill battle as he looks to make the Pacers roster, but he is certainly giving the front office something to think about, writes Mark Montieth of Pacers.com. Hansbrough is trying to hook on as a one-guard behind two true point guards in George Hill and D.J. Augustin and combo guard Lance Stephenson.
- Justin Holiday will also have a tough time making the final 15 with the Trail Blazers, but the forward has never been afraid of working hard to reach his goal, writes Wendell Maxey of Ridiculous Upside.
Eastern Notes: Sixers, Heat, Mullens, Ewing
As we await an evening preseason schedule that includes a pair of contests between Eastern teams (Pistons/Raptors and Bulls/Cavaliers), let's round up the latest links out of the Eastern Conference….
- Jrue Holiday, who is eligible for a contract extension this month, tells Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld that he thinks the 76ers are on the "right path" to title contention.
- The Heat haven't been involved in trade deadline deals in recent years, and Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel isn't expecting that to change this season. Winderman also addresses the Heat's two open roster spots in his latest mailbag.
- Byron Mullens is entering the final season of his rookie contract, and Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer believes he's exceeded expectations more than anyone else in Bobcats camp so far (Twitter link).
- At a Madison Square Garden promotion, Patrick Ewing told Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post that he's still hoping to coach an NBA team, whether it's the Knicks or another club, despite not being hired this offseason. "I’m just home, hanging out," Ewing said. "I do have coaching [aspirations], but all the jobs are taken up right now. So I’m just hanging out, relaxing and taking some time off and will try to come back next year."
- Sam Smith fields a number of Bulls-related questions in his newest mailbag at Bulls.com.
Odds & Ends: Blatche, Draft, Kaman, Milicic
Kevin Arnovitz of ESPN.com looks at the struggle homosexual athletes face as they decide whether to come out of the closet. Multiple league sources told Arnovitz that players who are believed to be gay have a tougher time landing deals. "From a front-office standpoint, anything that would take away from team chemistry, fair or not, is a concern," one source said. "The truth is that a lot of players don’t want that guy in the locker room. And, sadly, execs have to factor in how their star player and major guys are going to react." There's no telling whether that's had an effect on some of the players still seeking contracts this year or those who have already been cut. Here's the rest of the night's news from around the league.
- Nets big man Andray Blatche told Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that a talk with Nets coach Avery Johnson led him to sign with Brooklyn instead of the Heat. "I came in and worked out (with the Heat). They told me where I’m at, where I need to get, that they’re interested, they need me," he said. "But the conversation I had with Avery was more what I needed from him. It was about putting together a personal plan for me. I felt that would help me get to where I needed to be."
- Chad Ford of ESPN.com ranks the top five 2013 draft prospects in the SEC, led by Nerlens Noel and two fellow Kentucky freshmen (Insider only).
- Offseason signee Chris Kaman could give the Mavericks an offensive weapon at center like they've never had before, Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News says.
- Though the Celtics fully guaranteed Darko Milicic's minimum-salary contract, the team had no expectations for him, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com, who adds that the former No. 2 has nonetheless made a strong showing so far.
- Reggie Jackson is making the most of his opportunity to challenge extension candidate Eric Maynor for the Thunder's backup point guard job, as The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry observes.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel shares that Bucks coach Scott Skiles has hinted at an expanded role for guard Beno Udrih, who's entering the final season of his sizable five-year, $32.393MM contract.
Odds & Ends: Harden, Spurs, Richardson, Nuggets
Of today's slate of preseason NBA games, three are scheduled for tonight, with one already in the books — the Heat defeated the Clippers 94-80 in Beijing in a contest that got underway at 6:30 CST this morning. As we await the rest of today's action, let's round up a few odds and ends from around the league….
- Grantland's Bill Simmons believes the Thunder should be able to absorb the tax hit that will come with extending or re-signing James Harden, and implores Harden not to settle for a hometown discount.
- Derrick Brown's ability to guard the three spot could set him apart in the battle to earn a roster spot among Spurs' bigs, says Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News (Twitter links). As Mike Monroe of the Express-News writes, however, Eddy Curry and Josh Powell also both played well in the team's preseason game with the Hawks.
- Jason Richardson has left agent Dan Fegan and is in the market for new representation, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter).
- Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post examines the Nuggets' quest to build a winning culture in Denver.
- Juwan Howard is remaining around the Heat in case the team decides to cut six players instead of five and has an open roster spot for him, says Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
- Agent Rich Paul, who recently began to exclusively represent LeBron James and other NBA players, is under investigation by the NCAA for his relationship with University of Texas guard Myck Kabongo, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
Rashard Lewis Hopes To Play Five More Years
Slowed by knee problems over the past two seasons, Rashard Lewis recently underwent treatment that has him feeling much better heading into the 2012/13 season. As he tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida, Lewis is optimistic enough about his health that he's hoping to play in the NBA for another five years.
"This will be my 15th season," Lewis said. "My whole goal is to play another five years and try to get to 20 years… The way I feel now, I most definitely think I can do it."
As Tomasson explains, Lewis underwent a process called OssaTron treatment over the summer, something that was suggested by the Heat. The team believed that the non-surgical procedure, which involves shockwave therapy, could help the 33-year-old regain the form he showed in Seattle and Orlando.
"They just numb the knees basically like ultrasound," Lewis said. "It breaks down a lot of the scar tissue and it kind of rebuilds it. It took me off the court for a couple of months… (The Heat believed) it was something that could really help me and get me back on the court playing at a high rate, and I told them anything that would help me be even a little bit better than I was the past season, the past couple of years, I’m willing to try."
While the inactivity this summer has left Lewis a little rusty heading into training camp, he feels as if the treatment has been a success. and thinks it could help him lengthen his career.
"It’s like night and day from how I felt the past two years," Lewis said. "It brings a smile to my face…. I’m going to show that I got a little more basketball left in me."
Southeast Rumors: Martin, Heat, Magic, Webster
The Heat are in China, where Dwyane Wade is hopeful he can return to game action for the first time since the left knee surgery that kept him out of this summer's Olympics, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel writes. Wade has extra, endorsement-based incentive to hit the court in China, where his new Li-Ning sneakers will be formally introduced this week. We've got more Tuesday notes from the Southeast Division right here:
- The signing of Rashard Lewis precluded any interest the Heat might have had in Kenyon Martin, Winderman says. Martin, who remains unsigned, is still seeking a deal worth more than the minimum, though he's said he'd make an exception for the right team. His name was mentioned in connection with the Lakers earlier today. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reports Jordan Hill is expected to be healthy in time for opening night, so the team may not have as much motivation to add another big man as they would have if Hill were expected to miss time.
- Point guard Armon Johnson, on a non-guaranteed contract with the Magic, is making a case to stick around, tweets John Denton of Magic.com. Johnson faces an uphill battle to make the regular season roster, since the team has 17 players with at least a partial guarantee on their deals.
- Craig Stouffer of The Washington Examiner checks in with Martell Webster, who, along with Trevor Ariza, helps shore up a small forward position that had been a weakness for the Wizards.
Odds & Ends: Martin, Celtics, Leuer, Lakers
In a piece for Grantland.com, Zach Lowe looks at the different tiers in the Association after a wild offseason. In Lowe's opinion, the real title contenders this year are the Heat, Spurs, Thunder, and Lakers. Further down the list, you'll find the Nets and the Knicks who are classified as having exciting upside but too many questions to be considered real title threats. The Nets, he argues, may not get much bench production outside of C.J. Watson and MarShon Brooks. Meanwhile, most of the Knicks' big name offseason additions strike Lowe as league-average types who won't really make a major difference. Here's more from around the league..
- In the wake of Jordan Hill's back injury, Sam Amico of FOX Sports (via Twitter) expects the Lakers to sign a veteran big man to a minimum contract, possibly Kenyon Martin. Martin plied his craft at the Staples Center last season with the Clippers and played well despite not lighting up the stat sheet.
- While giving credit to the Celtics' 2008 championship team, point guard Rajon Rondo opined that this year's club is the strongest yet, writes Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald. This year's Celtics squad underwent a number of changes, including guard Jason Terry taking the place of Ray Allen.
- After being claimed off of waivers by the Rockets this summer, Jon Leuer is making a strong impression with the Cavs in camp this summer, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld. Coach Byron Scott believes that the team needs to help Leuer build confidence after bouncing around between a few clubs at the age of 23.
- Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld believes that Kobe Bryant will have to play beyond 2013/14 if he hopes to capture two more championship rings. Bryant reiterated yesterday that he plans to retire after his current contract expires in two seasons.
Southeast Notes: LeBron, Tolliver, Kidd-Gilchrist
News and notes out of the Southeast Division..
- While Kobe Bryant has alluded to possibly playing overseas after his career in the NBA, Heat star LeBron James says that he has no such plans, writes Michael Wallace of ESPN.com. “Nah. I mean, no. Nope,” James said of playing outside of the NBA late in his career. “This is the best league the world has to offer. And if I'm lucky enough, if I'm able to stay healthy, I would love to finish my career in this league. And that's what I plan on doing.”
- Forward Anthony Tolliver told Chris Vilvamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that he planned on returning to the Timberwolves for most of the offseason. Of course, Tolliver wound up hooking on with the Hawks in late September. The 27-year-old will earn the veteran's minimum, a step down from his $2MM salary last season.
- Bobcats coach may employ a small ball lineup at times this season and shift rookie Michael Kidd-Gilchrist from small forward to power forward, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer.
Juwan Howard Joining Heat In Advisory Role
Veteran big man Juwan Howard isn't on the Heat's roster, but is traveling with the team in an "advisory role," according to Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald (Twitter link). Goodman believes he's being kept around as an insurance policy in case Miami wants to let go of one of its training camp invitees. The Heat have a full complement of 20 players in camp, so they don't have room to add Howard as a player without waiving someone.
Howard and agent David Falk have maintained optimism in recent weeks that the 39-year-old will eventually return in a playing capacity to the Heat, with whom he's spent the last two seasons. Falk said his client strongly prefers the Heat over other NBA clubs and isn't considering retirement. The Heat reportedly wasn't ruling out the possibility of signing him as of last month, and Dwyane Wade has expressed his support for bringing Howard back on board. Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel spotted Howard wearing Heat warmup gear as he joined the team today in Atlanta in advance of a preseason game against the Hawks (Twitter link), and Goodman tweets that Howard will accompany the team on its upcoming trip to China as well.
Howard has appeared in 85 regular season games for the Heat the last two seasons, averaging 2.1 points and 2.0 rebounds in 9.2 minutes per contest. His last significant playing time came for the Blazers in 2009/10, when he saw 22.4 MPG and started 27 games. The Heat only have 13 players with guaranteed contracts, so Howard could wind up getting the nod over Robert Dozier, Mickell Gladness, Josh Harrellson or Jarvis Varnado, the big men in camp on non-guaranteed deals. If the Heat do sign Howard, it would almost certainly be for the minimum salary.
Southeast Notes: Afflalo, Haywood, Wade
All five Southeast Division teams open preseason play tomorrow, with four of the teams squaring off against each other. The Wizards will play the Bobcats in Charlotte, while the defending champion Heat travel to take on the Hawks. The Magic will be in Mexico City to face the Hornets. That's a matchup of Mexican center Gustavo Ayon's current and former teams, and we heard last night that while Ayon is drawing interest from overseas, he'll remain with the Magic this season. Here's today's Southeast Division scuttlebutt:
- Arron Afflalo wasn't expecting a trade when the Nuggets shipped him to Orlando in the Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum mega-deal, but is looking forward to the chance to become the Magic's No. 1 option on offense, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer believes the Bobcats got a fair deal on their amnesty waiver claim of Brendan Haywood, who brings experience and a high basketball IQ to the center position in Charlotte. Haywood will make an average of $2.05MM over the next three seasons.
- Dwyane Wade was among the players featured in a video the NBA released to demonstrate what will draw fines under the new anti-flopping policy this year, but with no in-game penalties, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel thinks the Heat star shouldn't stop trying to fool the refs.