Southwest Notes: Wroten, Pelicans, Grizzlies
The Sixers offered to send the now-waived Tony Wroten to the Pelicans in today’s trade that shipped Ish Smith off to Philadelphia, but New Orleans didn’t have any interest, as Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports passes along (via Twitter). The Pelicans will instead end up with two future second round picks: Denver’s in 2016 and Philadelphia’s in 2017, according to fellow Yahoo Sports contributor Bobby Marks (Twitter link).
More from the Southwest:
- The Grizzlies have recalled James Ennis, Jarell Martin, and Russ Smith from the D-League, the team announced today via press release.
- Anthony Davis’ on-court abilities are obvious, but it’s how the fourth-year Pelicans power forward carries himself off of the court that has some of his teammates impressed, as Michael Wallace of ESPN.com details. “I already knew his skill, but I was more surprised with his mindset and maturity,” Kendrick Perkins said. “He’s on a level where he’s thinking like this already? Damn. It’s going to be scary over the next 10 years.”
- It’s been a year since the Timberwolves dealt Corey Brewer to the Rockets, and Jenny Dial Creech of the Houston Chronicle breaks down his tenure in Houston. Although he has struggled lately, interim head coach J.B. Bickerstaff remains high on Brewer’s game. “I love Brew. I had him in Minnesota when we drafted him, and he is a champion,” Bickerstaff said. “He is special. His personality never changes; his attitude never changes. He is a guy that wherever I would go or would be, if it was time to go to battle, I would take him with me.“
And-Ones: Howard, Roberts, Jones, Kidd
Rockets center Dwight Howard recently turned 30 and hopes he can continue to play in the NBA into his 40s, Jonathan Feigen of The Houston Chronicle relays. “That’d be fun if I was to play this game [that long],” Howard told Feigen. “That was always my goal, to play 20 years, 20-something years in this league. I’m extremely happy and blessed to have been able to play this game for as long as I have been so far. I have played a lot of minutes. I’ve been doing a lot since I came into the league. I’m thankful. I’m not going to complain about it. I’m happy that I’ve been able to play 12 years so far. A lot of NBA players never played this long so I am very happy and blessed that I’ve been able to play 12 years in the NBA. Hopefully, I can play another 10, but the time I’ve played, I’ve enjoyed it.”
Here’s more from around the league:
- Several NBA teams have expressed interest in Raptors preseason cut Ronald Roberts, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv relays (via Twitter). In 10 appearances for the Raptors 905 this season Roberts is averaging 17.9 points and 13.0 rebounds on 67% shooting.
- Timberwolves rookie point guard Tyus Jones believes his recent stint in the D-League will help him to contribute more at the NBA level, Jace Frederick of The Pioneer Press writes. “That definitely helped me out and definitely prepared me even more than I was, and it’s just helped my process,” Jones said. “I think it did prepare me a little bit better to help this team out.”
- The Knicks‘ trade of J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert to the Cavaliers was a move met with displeasure by the team’s fanbase, but it has worked out well for both sides so far, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. “We made the decision,’’ Knicks coach Derek Fisher said. “It seems like it’s worked out well for both. J.R. and Shump, they seem happy. We like our team as it is at this point. I think our team would be OK if they were here or not because of what [habits] we’re doing every day.’’
- Bucks front office officials would have liked to have drafted Bobby Portis with the 17th overall pick this year, but coach Jason Kidd went with Rashad Vaughn instead, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports (audio link via Twitter at 57-minute mark). Kidd is calling the shots on personnel, as Gery Woelfel of The Journal Times told us in a recent edition of The Beat. People around the league wonder whether Kidd’s leave of absence for hip surgery is the first step toward him dropping the coaching job and moving into a full-time front office role with the team, Wojnarowski hears.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Johnson, Sixers, D-League
The Pistons are pleased with what 2015 lottery pick Stanley Johnson has shown them thus far, but they admit that the rookie still has much to learn before he can be an impact player in the NBA, writes Rod Beard of The Detroit News. “It’s still up and down but we’ve seen good potential,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said regarding Johnson. “He’s a guy who’s on the attack, he plays the game hard; he certainly shows no fear. He’s got a lot of developing to do; he has a lot to learn on the defensive end of the floor. Offensively, his decision-making is going to have to improve — when to shoot and when to pass — and he needs a lot of work on his footwork.”
Here’s the latest from the NBA’s Eastern Conference:
- The players on the Sixers support the team’s push to add veteran leadership to the locker room, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. “I think that will be good for us to have any type of veterans,” Nerlens Noel said. “I think [GM] Sam [Hinkie] is looking into that a little more. … You know Chuck Hayes is a big man and I think it’s going to help us.” Philadelphia reportedly met with Hayes and John Lucas III recently, though coach Brett Brown noted that the team is considering multiple players and no move is currently imminent, Pompey adds.”We are looking at a lot of things. To say that they [Hayes and Lucas] will join the team at this stage is not true,” Brown told Pompey.
- Jarell Eddie, who was recently signed by the Wizards, was surprised to have gotten the call from Washington, though he always believed he would make his way back to the NBA at some point, J. Michael of CSNMid-Atlantic.com relays. “I never doubted,” Eddie said of returning to the NBA. “I knew it was a process and the timing had to be right. I just continue to work, continue to do what I do. I knew eventually someone would call.“
- The Raptors have recalled Bruno Caboclo and Norman Powell from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was Caboclo’s fifth stint with the Raptors 905 on the season and Powell’s second.
Pacific Notes: Curry, Nance Jr., Kerr
Lakers rookie Larry Nance Jr. has impressed the team’s coaching staff with his work ethic and versatility, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. “Well, the one thing that Larry does for us is gives us a guy who is going to play the right way every single time on the basketball court,” coach Byron Scott said. “He’s never trying to play outside the box. He’s going to give you everything he’s got. He’s got great athleticism. But he works his butt off, he plays extremely hard. Trying to get him to take open shots when he has them. He’s been reluctant at times to do that. But he’s been one of those guys that just does everything that you want him to do.“
Here’s more from the Pacific Division:
- Kings coach George Karl has settled on the primary eight players in his rotation, but he would still like to find extra minutes for combo guard Seth Curry, who has been solid during his limited playing time this season, Jason Jones of The Sacramento Bee writes. When asked how he can get Curry on the court more consistently, Karl responded, “That’s a tough question. Every morning, [the coaches] talk about playing more players, but when you get into the nature of the game, it is my instincts. … None of my ones, twos or threes are playing poorly, so there’s no reason to take minutes from anybody. I hope Seth is patient, and I think sometimes experimenting at home is easier to do than on the road.”
- Despite the excellent job done by interim coach Luke Walton, the Warriors need Steve Kerr to return if they hope to repeat as NBA champions, an assessment that star point guard Stephen Curry agrees with, Mark Purdy of The San Jose Mercury News writes. “He just has a way of refocusing guys,” Curry said of Kerr. “And that’s whether it’s in the middle of the game or day to day at practice. Even if we’re playing well or winning games or not, there’s always something we can work on. And he presents it in a way that kind of fuels us as opposed to, like, calling guys out. … There’s a subtle or joking way he gets his point across that we appreciate.“
- The Lakers have recalled Ryan Kelly and Tarik Black from their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This was the second stint with the D-Fenders on the season for both players.
Southeast Notes: Budenholzer, Anderson, Skiles
It would be nice for the Hawks to add some rebounding, defense and shooting, but that’s not so easily done, coach/executive Mike Budenholzer said, adding that the offseason goal was chiefly to keep last season’s team together as much as possible, as he explained to Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The team didn’t have the cap space to retain both Paul Millsap, who re-signed, and DeMarre Carroll, who bolted for the Raptors, and Tim Hardaway Jr., one of the team’s most prominent additions, has barely seen the floor. Budenholzer acknowledges every move he makes in the front office, just like every coaching decision he renders, won’t be the right one, and he told Schultz that it’s fair for people to second-guess the Hardaway trade.
“But I’m very happy with the work [Hardaway] is doing behind the scenes,” Budenholzer said. “The next step is to take it to the court. There’s evolutions with teams and coaches. The first year might not look or feel great but then the light bulb goes on for the coach — like, ‘Hey, I’m the one who screwed up’ — or the light goes on for the player. But he’s put himself in a good position to make it look like a good decision.”
See more from the Southeast Division:
- Alan Anderson won’t be available to the Wizards for another three to five weeks as he continues to recover from two surgeries on his left ankle, a pair of sources tell Jorge Castillo of The Washington Post. Anderson has yet to play for the team after signing a one-year, $4MM deal in the offseason.
- Scott Skiles doesn’t necessarily prefer coaching younger teams over coaching other sorts of rosters, but he excels at it, and he has the young Magic in the mix for a playoff spot in the bunched-up Eastern Conference thanks to improved defense, observes Chris Mannix of SI.com.
- The Magic have recalled Devyn Marble from the D-League, the team announced (on Twitter). The second-year shooting guard had been on assignment since November 30th, and he averaged 13.9 points and 6.4 rebounds while hitting 35.0% of his 3-pointers in eight games with the Erie BayHawks.
Western Notes: Malone, Leonard, Jones
Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry declined to discuss how much contact he had with the Nuggets over the summer regarding Denver’s then open coaching position, which ultimately went to Michael Malone, but firmly believes the franchise made a good choice in its hire, Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post writes. “They got themselves a really, really good coach, a guy that works his butt off,” Gentry said. “I don’t think there’s anybody out there that works any harder [than Malone] or understands the game. He’s been around it his whole life. So, I think they did great.“
Malone noted that Emmanuel Mudiay‘s recent ankle injury is related to the injury the rookie sustained while playing in China last season, Dempsey adds. When asked when Mudiay might return to game action, Malone said, “We trust our athletic training staff to tell us when he can get back on the floor to start practicing. And then obviously he’ll have to get through a practice before he can play in a game. To be honest, I think he’s probably a little ways away from that. So we’ll be cautious. It’s an injury he sustained while in China, and it’s kind of come back a little bit.“
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The reports that Blazers big man Meyers Leonard was offered and turned down a four-year, $60MM extension from the team are “grossly inaccurate,” according to Jason Quick of CSNNW.com (Twitter link). Leonard is eligible to become a restricted free agent next summer provided Portland extends him a qualifying offer worth $4,210,880.
- The Timberwolves have recalled point guard Tyus Jones from the Idaho Stampede, the team announced. The rookie had been with the Jazz’s D-League affiliate since December 5th as part of the league’s flexible assignment program.
- The Grizzlies have assigned James Ennis, Jarell Martin and Russ Smith to their D-League affiliate in Iowa, the team announced. This will be Ennis’ fifth stint with the Energy and the second for both Martin and Smith.
And-Ones: D-League, Durant, Ingram
The addition of extra roster spots for “two-way contracts” that would allow NBA teams to stash players in the D-League while still keeping their NBA rights is indeed an idea the NBA is tossing around, commissioner Adam Silver said to Zach Lowe of ESPN.com on “The Lowe Post” podcast (audio link; transcription via James Herbert of CBSSports.com). The idea is those players would make $80-100K, though no specifics are set, Silver added. Players and agents wouldn’t like such a change, as Chris Reichert of Upside & Motor speculates (Twitter link), since it would limit their market to sign full NBA contracts. See more from around the league:
- Kevin Durant has given precious few clues about his upcoming free agency, but he seemed to indicate this weekend that winning a title with the Thunder would indeed make staying in Oklahoma City more attractive, The Oklahoman’s Berry Tramel observes. “I mean, there’s still some guys that stay with one team,” Durant said. “There’s some guys that move. Kobe [Bryant]‘s done it [stayed with one franchise]. Tim Duncan‘s done it. Just as far as staying in one organization, you win a title and it makes it easier for you to ride it out. That’s what those guys have done. Dirk [Nowitzki], guys like that. It’s good to see a few players that’s on the way out that’s had a long career and is still doing it pretty well.”
- A 6’10” frame and 7’3″ wingspan plus encouraging data about his shooting make Duke small forward Brandon Ingram an intriguing candidate to become the first player drafted after Ben Simmons, but Ingram’s frailty and poor defensive rebounding could hold him back, observe Chad Ford and Kevin Pelton of ESPN.com in an Insider-only story.
- The maturation of some patient, shrewd rebuilding efforts, strong coaching and interconference free agent defections are all factors in the resurgence of the Eastern Conference, as USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt examines. The result has pleased the commissioner, as he said on a recent Trail Blazers telecast, Zillgitt notes.
Western Notes: Bryant, McGee, Speights
Kobe Bryant will not continue his career in Europe following his retirement from the NBA after this season, as he said in a conference call and as Bill Oram of the Orange County Register relays. The Lakers swingman doesn’t think he could endure the rigors of another season, so he has ruled out that option, Oram continues. “I would have loved to play overseas for a season,” Bryant said. “But it’s not going to happen. … My body won’t let me.” Bryant reiterated his desire to play for USA Basketball in the Summer Olympics next summer, Oram adds.
In other news around the Western Conference:
- JaVale McGee is gradually carving out a rotation spot with the Mavericks, Tim MacMahon of ESPN.com reports. McGee is still trying to get in top shape and wants to shed another 10-15 pounds, MacMahon continues. The backup center had 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks in 18 minutes against the Grizzlies on Friday, a sign that he’s making progress, MacMahon adds. “He’s got really unusual length for a guy like that and he’s got great athleticism, too,” Dallas coach Rick Carlisle told the team’s media. “Look, he’s worked hard. It’s taken a while. We’ve got to be a little bit careful about how long we play him in terms of stretches of minutes.”
- Marreese Speights hasn’t been as efficient as he was last season, and if he doesn’t turn that around, the Warriors will look for another stretch four, posits Monte Poole of CSNBayArea.com. Golden State is studying the trade market, Poole writes, though it’s unclear if the team is looking into deals involving Speights.
- The Spurs recalled point guard Ray McCallum from their D-League affiliate in Austin, the team’s website reports. McCallum has appeared in four D-League games, as well as 12 games with San Antonio.
- The Thunder recalled small forward Josh Huestis from their D-League affiliate on Monday, according to the team’s website. Huestis, who is still looking to make his NBA debut, has started 10 games with Oklahoma City Blue, averaging 10.1 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 32.8 minutes.
Southeast Rumors: Oubre, Lamb, Green
Kelly Oubre wasn’t supposed to get much playing time this season but he’s making the most of his unexpected opportunity, according to Jorge Castillo of the Washington Post. The Wizards wanted to essentially redshirt the rookie small forward but injuries have thrust him into the rotation, Castillo continues. Oubre’s performances during the team’s 1-3 road trip against Southwest opponents — including an 18-point outing against the Spurs — were some of the few positives that came out of it, Castillo adds. He was selected with the No. 15 overall pick by the Hawks and then dealt to the Wizards on draft night. “Progression is the word,” Oubre told Castillo. “Every game is different. Every game I try to get better. At practice I probably get better. I’m starting to get the hang of the whole NBA thing now.”
In other news around the Southeast Division:
- Hornets shooting guard Jeremy Lamb credits coach Steve Clifford for his breakout season, as he indicated to Joel Brigham of Basketball Insiders. Lamb’s reputation as a dead-eye shooter preceded him but Clifford has also utilized Lamb as a playmaker, Brigham continues. “He does a good job helping everybody play to their strengths. He sees the best in me,” Lamb told Brigham. “Coach Clifford said he always knew I was a good shooter, but he didn’t realize how good of a passer I was, so he said I should do more in making plays for others.”
- Gerald Green claims the Heat value his defense more than his previous teams, especially the Suns, Jason Lieser of the Palm Beach Post reports. The veteran swingman told Lieser that the Suns “dogged” him regarding his defensive effort the past two seasons but the Heat coaching staff has treated him much differently. “This year they’ve got me on the best players, so I’ve taken the challenge,” Green said. “They give me confidence and they encourage me so much to go out and do it. I’ve never been encouraged to play defense with any other team I’ve been on.”
- The Hawks recalled center Walter Tavares from the D-League’s Austin Spurs on Monday following a two-game stint, a development initially reported by Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Twitter link) and later confirmed on the team’s website. Tavares has appeared in six D-League games and four NBA games this season.
Central Notes: West, Jennings, Horford
David West felt that staying with the Pacers would have been a risky move because of his desire to get a championship ring, he told Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star during a Q&A session. The veteran power forward shocked the basketball world by declining his $12.6MM player option with the Pacers to sign for approximately $1.5MM with the Spurs during the offseason. But West couldn’t bear the thought of sitting out another postseason. “It really came down to watching the playoffs for the first time in how many years, not being in the playoffs and then ultimately watching the Finals and just saying: ‘[Forget] it, man. You can’t roll the dice next year.’ Because that’s what I felt I would be doing,” West told Buckner. “People were telling me: ‘Opt in and then demand a trade!’ That’s just not me. I’ve never been motivated by money.”
In other news around the Central Division:
- Brandon Jennings will not jump into the Pistons’ rotation during their two-game road trip prior to Christmas, Keith Langlois of Pistons.com reports. Jennings still hasn’t regained all of his lateral mobility, despite playing 27 minutes for the team’s D-League affiliate in Grand Rapids on Saturday night. “I think more on the defensive end, I’m still having trouble right now pushing off, trying to get through screens, which is still expected,” Jennings told Langlois. “So my lateral movement is something I have to work on.” Pistons coach Stan Van Gundy told Langlois that Steve Blake would remain the backup point guard for time being.
- Pistons center Andre Drummond is averaging 18.2 points and a league-high 16.4 rebounds and Celtics coach Brad Stevens expects Drummond to play in his first All-Star game this season. “He’s an All-Star right now, for sure,” Stevens said last week to the media, including Hoops Rumors. “Eighteen-16 is no joke and he’s doing it against the best of the best. Every time the ball hits the rim, you’re fearful he’s going to get it. And his rim runs draw so much attention off of pick-and-rolls that their shooters get more open looks.”
- The Cavaliers’ D-League affiliate, the Canton Charge, has acquired power forward Jon Horford off waivers, Adam Johnson of the D-League Digest tweets. Horford, the 24-year-old younger brother of Al Horford, signed with the Bucks prior to training camp but was waived in early October.