Bucks Assign Doron Lamb To D-League
The Milwaukee Bucks have assigned rookie guard Doron Lamb to the NBA D-League's Fort Wayne Mad Ants, reports Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.
Lamb, drafted by the Bucks in the second round of the 2012 NBA Draft, has played in 23 games and averaged 3.4 PPG for Milwaukee this season.
Greg Oden Rumors: Friday
8:13pm: Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reports that several other teams in addition to the Mavericks are interested in possibly signing Oden. The Cavs, Hawks, and Grizzlies are rumored to have already conducted workouts with Oden, while the Bucks, Bulls, Spurs, and Warriors are also said to have interest.
3:15pm: When we heard yesterday that Greg Oden was aiming to return to the NBA for the 2013/14 season, the Heat were the only one of the big man's potential suitors identified. We can add another club to that list, as Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com reports the Mavericks have been in touch with agent Mike Conley Sr. to inquire on Oden.
Oden, who is taking classes at Ohio State, continues to recover from his third microfracture surgery, and isn't expected to be ready to return to action until the fall. However, yesterday's report suggested that there may be teams interested in signing the former first overall pick to a multiyear deal this season, to allow him to rehab under an NBA club's supervision. The Mavs could make a strong case to Oden, writes MacMahon, though he's unsure what sort of financial commitment the team would be willing to make to the oft-injured seven-footer.
As we heard this morning, Conley hinted that the Heat aren't necessarily the frontrunners for his client, and didn't rule out any clubs except for the Trail Blazers.
Latest On Trade Candidates From Reno
Marc Stein of ESPN.com attended the NBA D-League Showcase in Reno, Nevada this week, where many NBA GMs and executives were present. He posted a roundup of trade-related chatter he heard during the event:
- The Raptors are making the hardest push for Rudy Gay, offering the Grizzlies a package that includes Jose Calderon and Ed Davis. Memphis is still undecided as to whether they will move Gay.
- There is a growing sense from front offices around the league that the Lakers will not ultimately trade Pau Gasol this season.
- Teams have continued to ask the Kings about DeMarcus Cousins, and were told that he is not available.
- A source told Stein that it is highly unlikely the Bucks will move Brandon Jennings before the end of the season.
- The Jazz are more likely to trade Al Jefferson than Paul Millsap, even though both are free agents this summer.
- The Hornets are not expected to trade Eric Gordon, despite previous rumors that he may be available.
- Despite his recent statement that he intends on staying retired, the Nets are still making a hard push to convince Phil Jackson to be their next head coach.
- Stein lists several players as having been made known to be available by their teams, including the Raptors' Andrea Bargnani, the Spurs' DeJuan Blair, the Cavs' Omri Casspi, the Rockets' Cole Aldrich, and the Bucks' Drew Gooden, Samuel Dalembert, and Beno Udrih.
Odds & Ends: Gay, Knicks, Bulls, Sullinger
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Thursday night:
- Rudy Gay is turning to his friends around the NBA for support as trade rumors swirl, writes Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
- Bob Raissman of the New York Daily News writes that Carmelo Anthony's recent fight with Kevin Garnett brings into question Knicks owner James Dolan's decision to build the roster around him.
- K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune writes that Richard Hamilton is starting to realize that his career is coming to a close.
- Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times praises the recent play of Joakim Noah and Carlos Boozer for the Bulls.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes that Celtics rookie Jared Sullinger is showing an increased aggressiveness in recent weeks.
- Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer reports that former Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas is mentoring the team's two young bigs, Tyler Zeller and Tristan Thompson.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is impressed with the job interim head coach Jim Boylan has done for the Bucks since replacing Scott Skiles.
- Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer writes that Gerald Henderson understands that his primary role with the Bobcats is three-point shooting.
Odds & Ends: Timberwolves, Murray, Bucks
- Eliot Shorr-Parks of NJ.com wonders if it may be time for the 76ers to make a drastic move the way Brooklyn did in order to right their ship. Although firing Doug Collins may not be the answer, dealing Thaddeus Young might be a painful-but-necessary move worth considering.
- Several months removed from telling the Hornets that he wanted to be in Phoenix, Eric Gordon is ready and willing to take on the leadership role expected from him in New Orleans (Steve Kyler of USA Today reports).
- Ronald Murray has signed with Azovmash Mariupol of the Ukraine, according to Basket-Planet.com (credit goes to HoopsHype for the translation). The 6'3 guard's resume includes an eight-year stint in the NBA from 2002 to 2010, last playing for the Bulls and subsequently the Bobcats during the 2009-10 season.
- Zach Lowe of Grantland explains why Scott Skiles was not the Bucks' main problem and looks into the bigger decisions ahead with regards to the futures of Monta Ellis and Brandon Jennings. Lowe mentions that if Ellis decides to opt-out this summer, Milwaukee could have max-level cap room to work with at that point.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside examines Demetris Nichols and Sean Evans, two former standouts from New York colleges who have started to make some waves in the D-League. Schlosser thinks that both have shown some characteristics of being possible contributors in the NBA.
- Emilio Carchiano from Sportando.net notes that Gary Forbes has officially signed a deal with Atleticos de San German.
Central Notes: Skiles, Pistons, Vogel
One day after the mutual decision to sever ties with the Bucks, Scott Skiles was quick to shoot down a rumor that he "hated his team." Charles F. Gardner of JS Online drew more comments from the former-Milwaukee coach, who also implied that his phone has been "blowing up" regarding opportunities but would like to enjoy some of the time off he has right now. Todd Rosiak (also of the Journal-Sentinel) explored Skiles' departure from his former players' perspective, namely Larry Sanders, Luc Mbah a Moute, rookie John Henson, and Brandon Jennings, who admitted he was a bit frustrated about how he found out about the news – from Skiles first and not the team. With that aside, here are more news and notes from the Central Division tonight:
- With four consecutive drafts in which the Pistons have taken five current rotation players, there is optimism that GM Joe Dumars and his scouts have the right mindset and wherewithal to continue building the team toward a return to prominence (Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports).
- Fresh off agreeing to what is most likely a multi-year contract extension yesterday, Frank Vogel expressed optimism and determination in the direction of the Pacers' franchise (ESPN report via the Associated Press).
- Mike Wells of IndyStar.com briefly explores Vogel's appreciation for the assistants on his coaching staff and mentioned Dominic McGuire's task of learning the team's offense as quickly as possible.
Bucks Rumors: Hammond, Ownership, Ellis
News broke late last night that Scott Skiles and the Bucks have mutually agreed to part ways immediately, rather than Skiles coaching the last season of his contract with no intention of remaining in Milwaukee. The 16-16 Bucks are currently tied for a seventh seed in the Eastern Conference, so the task of keeping Milwaukee in the playoff picture will fall to Jim Boylan, who will coach the club for the rest of the season, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Just before reports of Skiles' departure surfaced, Woelfel published a column that included a few other Bucks-related tidbits, so let's check out the highlights from that piece….
- General manager John Hammond confirmed that he's in talks with owner Herb Kohl about a contract extension, tweets Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
Earlier updates:
- Chatter around the NBA suggesting that Bucks owner Kohl will sell the team has intensified recently, according to Woelfel. Former Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley was, and perhaps still is, considered the frontrunner to buy the franchise, while Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark L. Attanasio is also said to have interest.
- Kohl hasn't commented on a potential sale and has even said he'll be more involved with the team now that he's no longer a U.S. Senator in Wisconsin. However, at age 78, Kohl may be inclined to at least bring aboard a partner to whom he could eventually pass the torch, reports Woelfel.
- Monta Ellis figures to exercise the early termination option on his contract and become a free agent this July.
- There have been "rumblings" that general manager John Hammond could receive an extension, but Hammond declined to comment on whether he has discussed a new contract with the team.
Scott Skiles Out As Bucks Coach
10:06am: The Bucks have officially confirmed that Skiles is out as head coach and that Boylan will assume the reins.
"Scott and I met yesterday after practice and after some honest discussion, we both came to the conclusion that it was best to part ways," Hammond said in the press release. "It is never an easy decision to make, but in the end a decision we felt was best for both parties. I want to thank Scott for his hard work, dedication and the imprint he leaves on our team and our entire organization. We all wish him and his family well."
TUESDAY, 12:09am: Boylan will coach the Bucks for rest of the season, according to Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Woelfel hears the team was close to firing Skiles recently, but the coach earned extra time when the Bucks beat the Heat on December 29th. That wasn't his first brush with an exit from Milwaukee. Skiles, thinking he wouldn't be back, cleaned out his desk at the end of last season, Woelfel notes (All Twitter links).
MONDAY, 11:51pm: Assistant coach Jim Boylan will take over for Skiles on an interim basis, just as he did when the Bulls fired Skiles in 2007, tweets Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
11:32pm: The Bucks and Scott Skiles have agreed to part ways immediately, reports Sam Amick of USA Today. The move comes on the heels of a report by TNT's David Aldridge that indicated Skiles would not return to the team when his contract expires this summer.
Skiles and GM John Hammond entered the season with high stakes on the team's performance, but after a strong start, the Bucks have lost four in a row to drop to 16-16. Skiles' agent, Keith Glass, denied rumors last year that Skiles was seeking a buyout of the final year of his deal. A reputed taskmaster, Skiles has clashed with some players, notably Stephen Jackson, who recently scoffed at the suggestion that he and Skiles had spoken since the team dealt him away last season. Skiles "hated his team" this season, a close friend told Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Skiles finishes his tenure in Milwaukee with a 162-182 record, highlighted by a 46-36 campaign in 2009/10, when the sixth-seeded Bucks took the No. 3 seed Hawks to seven games in the first round even without an injured Andrew Bogut. That was the only playoff appearance in Skiles' four and a half seasons with the team. He's 443-433 all-time as a head coach, including stops with the Suns and Bulls.
Skiles Likely In Final Season With Bucks
Barring a drastic change of plans, it appears unlikely that Scott Skiles will return to Milwaukee next season to coach the Bucks, reports TNT's David Aldridge. While there's no animosity between the coach and the team, Skiles has informed the Bucks that he's not interested in a contract extension, and expects to be working elsewhere in 2013/14, according to Aldridge.
Skiles and general manager John Hammond are both in the final years of their respective contracts, though Aldridge says Hammond is more likely to remain in Milwaukee. According to Aldridge, Skiles has wondered about the team's direction, and whether it would be willing to rebuild through high draft picks or make an impact trade for a superstar-caliber player that could complement the current core.
The Bucks are open to having Skiles return and would be willing to discuss a deal if he has a change of heart, but haven't offered him an extension. Since taking over as the Bucks' head coach in 2008/09, Skiles has guided the team to a 162-182 record.
Central Rumors: Cavs, Jackson, Drummond, Cook
Bob Finnan of The News-Herald blames Cavs GM Chris Grant and coach Byron Scott for the team's struggles this season, and calls on the team to take a more aggressive approach and pull the trigger on a deal for a "good, young piece" at the trade deadline if someone like that is available. The Cavs should carry that aggression into free agency, Finnan believes, and use their cap space for better assets than they've pursued recently. Finnan has more on the team, which we'll round up along with other notes from their Central Division rivals.
- We've heard before that the Cavs and Wolves have had brief discussion about an Anderson Varejao trade, and Finnan confirms those talks, speculating that Minnesota would probably want to include Derrick Williams, a potential deal-breaker. Finnan believes the Cavs may have interest in taking back Nikola Pekovic instead.
- There's been little talk of Scott's job security this season, but if the losing continues, Finnan doesn't foresee that immunity lasting into 2013/14.
- Former Bucks swingman Stephen Jackson said he spoke with GM John Hammond about a contract extension during his time in Milwaukee, but never took a confrontational tone, as Jackson told Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times. Jackson expressed respect for Hammond and said he can envision working for him someday, though I'd guess he's referring to a front-office role rather than a return to the Bucks as a player. Jackson said Hammond was the only person from the Bucks organization he still spoke to, and balked at the suggestion that he'd reached out to coach Scott Skiles, with whom he feuded last season.
- Andre Drummond has improved as the season has gone on, but he's content with the Pistons' plan to bring him along slowly, MLive's David Mayo observes.
- Mayo and fellow MLive scribe Brendan Savage debate who got the better of Detroit's offseason trade with the Bobcats that swapped Ben Gordon for Corey Maggette.
- Scott Powers of ESPNChicago.com writes that Daequan Cook understands that he must earn playing time with the Bulls after signing in Chicago this morning.