Central Notes: Bynum, Sessions, Pistons
Andrew Bynum considered playing for both the Heat and the Lakers before signing with the Pacers, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media. The Lakers were viewed as a potential trading partner for the Cavs when Cleveland was looking to move him, but were not linked as a suitor once he hit free agency after being traded to and waived by the Bulls. Here’s more from the Central Division:
- Bucks guard Ramon Sessions tells Lang Greene of Basketball Insiders that he was completely blindsided by the trade that sent him from the Bobcats to the Bucks. “To be honest the trade was kind of last minute,” Sessions said. “I didn’t really hear too much coming up to the trade deadline but as we got closer I started getting calls from my agent and hearing certain things were happening behind the scenes. But it’s one of those things in the league that when it happens, you got to pack up and be ready to move on to another team.”
- Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times thinks Bulls center Joakim Noah can be penciled into the All-NBA first team, and the $500,000 bonus that would come with that selection.
- Pistons coach John Loyer tells Vincent Goodwill of The Detroit News that the three-big lineup in Detroit can eventually work if the team is able to get consistent shooting from the perimeter. “You need spacing, two guys who can score the ball from the perimeter when you have those three on the floor,” said Loyer. “As long as those three are here and here together and playing productively, you’ll see them. It’s what we have. We want to put them in places where we think they can score the best. It’s your job as coach to figure out who you’re coaching and what they’re best at and put them in those spots.”
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Bucks Sign Chris Wright
The Bucks have signed forward Chris Wright to a 10-day contract, according to Michael Scotto of Sheridan Hoops (on Twitter). Milwaukee made room for Wright by not renewing Tony Mitchell after his 10-day contract expired.
Wright, a Dayton product, played for the Maine Red Claws this season. The 25-year-old was in training camp with the Raptors over the summer and was in a heated three-way battle for the final spot on the roster, but he and Carlos Morais ultimately lost out to Julyan Stone. Wright spent 24 games with the Warriors during the 2011/12 season and averaged 2.9 PPG and 1.9 RPG across 7.8 minutes per game.
Eastern Notes: Jackson, McRoberts, Hamilton
As Ric Bucher and Howard Beck of Bleacher Report discuss, it is impossible for the Knicks or anyone else to predict the success that Phil Jackson will have as team president because he simply has no track record in an NBA front office. While Beck speculates that Jackson’s guidance could have the same positive effect on Carmelo Anthony that it did on Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan, Bucher points out that the NBA’s resident Zen Master has never had the best relationship with agents.
Let’s take a look at what else is happening around the Eastern Conference tonight:
- The underpaid Josh McRoberts has the ability to opt out of his two-year deal and become an unrestricted free agent this offseason, writes Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, who adds that the Bobcats value the Duke product and should do everything they can to retain him.
- Bonnell also confirms that the Bobcats worked out a group of players on Thursday, as we heard yesterday. While it doesn’t sound like he thinks the team have anything notable planned, Bonnell points out the forthcoming expiration of Justin Hamilton‘s 10-day contract and mentions the Heat as possible suitors for the 7-foot LSU product should Charlotte let him walk (via Twitter).
- Bucks head coach Larry Drew indicated today that a decision has yet to be made on whether or not the team will sign Tony Mitchell to a second 10-day contract, tweets Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Bucks initially added Mitchell from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants on March 4.
Eastern Notes: Boozer, Woodson, Drew
No decision has been made on Carlos Boozer‘s future with the Bulls, but the veteran says that he feels unappreciated in Chicago, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Boozer has been moody with the media for some time now, and sources say that’s linked to his frustrations with the club. For his part, GM Gar Forman says no decision has been made on the forward. “People can say or think what they want, but that decision absolutely hasn’t been made,’’ Forman told Cowley. More out of the East..
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson was positive about the hire of Phil Jackson to run basketball operations and told ESPN Radio in New York that it can only “enhance” the organization, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.
- Bucks coach Larry Drew says that he holds no ill-will towards the Hawks for how things turned out, writes Charles F. Gardner of the Journal-Sentinel. “No bitterness whatsoever. This is just the NBA. Things happen. I certainly understood their position. Bruce Levenson (managing partner) was really good to me. The Gearons (managing partner Michael Gearon) were always in my corner from Day 1,” Drew said.
- Former Bobcats coach Mike Dunlap has landed as the new head coach of Loyola Marymount, according to an official announcement on the school’s website. Dunlap, an assistant with St. John’s before being tabbed by Bobcats owner Michael Jordan, was considered to be a shocking hire for Charlotte and lasted just one season.
Eastern Notes: Noel, Maxiell, Bird
Jason Maxiell hasn’t played in the Magic’s last nine games and has only one appearance since January 29th, but he’s trying to maintain a positive outlook, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Maxiell stated, “I’m respecting that this is a year for the young guys to develop and improve for next year. With the coaching staff and [general manager] Rob [Hennigan] and [assistant general manager] Scott Perry, I think more of the bigger picture is moving forward for next year and having a mixture of experienced young guys mixed in with some vets.” Robbins mentions that the lack of playing time could hurt Maxiell in the long run because of his contract. He signed a free-agent contract with the Magic during the offseason, and his salary of $2.5MM for next year is non-guaranteed and he won’t be owed anything if the team waives him before mid-July.
More from the east:
- On Sunday the Sixers’ Nerlens Noel tweeted “4-4-14”, which hinted at a possible NBA debut date for the injured player. Marc Narducci and Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer discuss the likelihood of seeing the big man on the court this season.
- On Thursday night, Zaza Pachulia will return to Atlanta for the first time since signing with the Bucks this summer. The former Hawks fan-favorite sat down with Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution to answer some questions about his thoughts on his change of teams and what the future holds for him.
- Larry Bird might be in charge of the Pacers, but the Celtics will always be a part of him. He still pays close attention to his former franchise and has quite a few complimentary things to say about GM Danny Ainge and point guard Rajon Rondo, writes Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald.
- Speaking of the Celtics, team owner Wyc Grousbeck joked that he wants Andrew Wiggins in this years draft, tweets Kevin Armstrong of the New York Daily News. This was said in response to commissioner Adam Silver noting there were already two Canadians on the Celtics roster. Wiggins is projected as a top-3 lottery pick in this year’s draft and the Celtics currently rank sixth in Hoops Rumors’ Reverse Standings.
Eastern Notes: Dumars, Turner, Rondo
Matt Moore of CBSSports.com looks at a recent report from Ric Bucher of Bleacher Report about the future of Joe Dumars in Detroit. Dumars is weary of the criticism he has received in trying to rebuild the Pistons after constructing a franchise that went to the Eastern Conference Finals six years in a row. The criticism fails to account for the dismal Detroit economy and restraints placed on Dumars while the team was up for sale and changing ownership, as Bucher notes, and Moore points to the success the team had early in Dumars’ tenure. Still, Moore advocates for a change. The Pistons are currently 24-36, three games out of the 8th spot in the East.
More from around the league:
- During a rough season, Bucks GM John Hammond is being praised for drafting a “gem” in Giannis Antetokounmpo, tweets Chris Mannix of SI.com. The “Greek Freak” is averaging 7.2 PPG, 4.6 RPG, and 1.9 APG over 24.5 MPG.
- Evan Turner is still getting acclimated with the Pacers, but both he and the team think it’s been a good fit so far, writes Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders. Turner has played in five games with the team, and has averaged 9.2 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 1.6 APG in 22.2 MPG. How Turner adjusts to the Pacers will impact if he is in their plans going forward when he becomes a free-agent after the season, writes Kennedy.
- Danny Ainge said that the Celtics had asked Rajon Rondo to travel with the team last week, but instead Rondo chose to stay in Los Angeles to celebrate his 28th birthday, writes Royce Young of CBSSports.com. Ainge said, “In the end, him and I had a long talk about it. He planned it before and he had reason to believe it would be OK. I understand his reason because of what he’s grown up with and what he’s witnessed. You won’t see it happen again, and we’ve just moved on from it.” This isn’t expected to change the team’s immediate plans regarding keeping Rondo, according to Young.
Central Notes: Onuaku, Bulls, Bucks
Indiana’s loss to the Warriors on Tuesday kept the Pacers from clinching a playoff berth, but the team will lock up a trip to the postseason the next time it wins a game. Once that happens, that means the team’s first-round pick is guaranteed to go to Phoenix, as I noted today when I looked at protected first-rounders that could be changing hands. Here’s more from the Central Division:
- The Cavs re-signed Arinze Onuaku to another 10-day contract Tuesday even though he saw just 50 seconds of playing time on his first 10-day deal, but the big man’s experience with the team’s D-League affiliate has already allowed the club to evaluate him. Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal has the details, noting that Onuaku’s presence on the roster is likely tied to the health of Anderson Varejao.
- The increasing value of Joakim Noah makes it less likely the Bulls would chase Carmelo Anthony this summer, as Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald explains.
- Improved chemistry with the additions of Ramon Sessions and Jeff Adrien has helped the Bucks improve their play since the trade deadline, observes Genaro C. Armas of The Associated Press. Of course, wins will come at the expense of the team’s lottery position. Our Reverse Standings show the Bucks have just one fewer loss than the Sixers as they try to hold off Philadelphia for the best chance at the No. 1 overall pick.
Odds & Ends: Arthur, Murphy, Mekel
Darrell Arthur isn’t completely sold on exercising his player option for next season, worth more than $3.457MM, but he’s strongly leaning toward picking it up and remaining with the Nuggets, as Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post observes.
“I’m just going to wait until the season is over with and talk to (Nuggets GM) Tim (Connelly) and see what’s up and go from there,” Arthur said. “But I’m looking forward to coming back here. I like it here. I feel like when we’re healthy, we have a great team to build with, and I want to be a part of it.”
Here’s more from around the NBA:
- Former Jazz swingman Kevin Murphy received multiple NBA training camp invitations this past offseason, but he didn’t think any of them gave him a fighting chance to make an opening night roster, as he tells Cameron Schott of RealGM. Murphy has instead split the season between a French team and the D-League, where he’s putting up impressive numbers for the Idaho Stampede.
- The Mavericks have sent Gal Mekel to the D-League, the team announced. It’s a rehab assignment, notes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The rookie point guard has missed the past 21 games for Dallas after having surgery on his right knee.
- Bucks 10-day signee Tony Mitchell admits he has a “strange game,” but coach Larry Drew explains how it fits what the team was looking for. Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel has the details.
- Even if Canisius point guard Billy Baron goes undrafted, several NBA teams say they’d invite him to training camp for next season, as Bleacher Report’s Ric Bucher writes.
Bucks Sign Tony Mitchell To 10-Day Contract
TUESDAY, 10:58am: The team officially announced the move, via Twitter.
MONDAY, 5:30pm: The Bucks are set to sign forward Tony Mitchell to a 10-day contract, sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports (on Twitter). Mitchell has been with the D-League’s Fort Wayne Mad Ants.
Mitchell is putting up averages of 19.4 points and 5.4 rebounds in 21 games with Fort Wayne this season. It’s an encore of his 2012/13 campaign in which he put up 21.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per contest over 48 games. Mitchell, 24, was in camp with the Kings over the offseason but was unable to survive the final cut.
The 6’6″ forward is not to be confused with the Pistons’ 6’9″ forward of the same name. The Bucks’ Mitchell was a standout at Alabama while the Pistons forward made his name at North Texas.
Odds & Ends: Cunningham, Suns, Abdul-Jabbar
Welp, this figures to be a fun MVP race. In case you were leaning towards the likes of Kevin Durant or Chris Paul, LeBron James re-stated his case tonight in a big, big way. The Heat star put up a career-high 61 points on 22-33 shooting, 8-10 from three-point range, with seven rebounds, and five assists. LeBron bested his previous career-high of 56 (2005 against the Raptors) and blew past Glen Rice‘s franchise record of 56 points. Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..
- Former Oregon State star Jared Cunningham says he plans to sign with an NBA team this week, writes Conner Letourneau of The Oregonian.
- The Morris twins will be eligible for contract extensions in the fall and both players are hoping they’ll be with the Suns, together, for the long-term, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic. “The game is more fun when I have my brother. I look forward to it every day. look forward to getting better. I look forward to watching him get better and I know he looks forward to me improving and having good games. I’m excited when he plays good, even when I don’t play good. If I see him scoring and all the small stuff to win, I’m excited and that brings me up no matter what,” Markieff Morris said of playing with brother Marcus Morris.
- Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says he’s interested in returning in some capacity to the Bucks, writes Andrew Wagner of the Associated Press. “If I get a call, I will definitely offer my services,” said the Bucks’ career leading scorer with 14,211 points. “There’s nothing on the table right now. A couple of people have asked me and if I had the chance to be part of this franchise again, I would take it.“
- If Dwyane Wade continues to play at his current level and helps lead the Heat to another championship, there won’t be much negotiating when it comes to his contract, writes Yannis Koutroupis of Basketball Insiders. Wade recently re-iterated his desire to stay put in Miami to David Aldridge of NBA.com.