D-League Moves: Mavs, Thunder, Pelicans
The weekend usually brings about D-League assignments for a handful of NBA players, many of whom are more familiar with D-League gyms than they are with NBA arenas. That’s the case for a trio of first- and second-year players again today, as we detail:
- The Mavericks have assigned Ricky Ledo to the D-League for the eighth time this season, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com reports (on Twitter). The shooting guard has seen just two minutes total for Dallas this season, but he’s averaging 14.3 points in 34.0 minutes per game across 10 appearances for the D-League’s Texas Legends.
- Grant Jerrett is going on D-League assignment No. 6 this season, the Thunder announced (Twitter link). He’s seen 24 minutes total of NBA action this season, and he hasn’t received particularly heavy minutes in the D-League, either. He’s put up 11.2 PPG in 22.0 MPG over five D-League games.
- The Pelicans have sent Russ Smith to the D-League for the third time, the team announced. The rookie has totaled 29 NBA minutes in six NBA games, but he’s averaged 16.5 PPG in 26.0 MPG in the D-League. He’s going once more to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the affiliate that New Orleans shares with a dozen other teams.
And-Ones: Cooley, Ford, Upshaw
ESPN.com draft guru Chad Ford (Insider subscription required) opines that two tiers of talent appear to be forming in the lottery portion of the upcoming NBA draft. The upper tier includes Jahlil Okafor, Emmanuel Mudiay, Karl-Anthony Towns and Kristaps Porzingis, all of whom are currently projected as top five selections, Ford notes. The second tier consists of Kevon Looney, Justise Winslow, Willie Cauley-Stein, Myles Turner, Kelly Oubre, Mario Hezonja, Stanley Johnson and D’Angelo Russell, and they will make up the likely No. 5 to No. 12 overall selections, Ford adds.
Here’s more from around the league and the college ranks:
- Ford has also released his most recent “Big Board,” which has Oubre cracking the top 10, and has Jerian Grant of Notre Dame making a big leap from No. 27 to No. 19.
- A league source told Gino Pilato of D-League Digest (Twiitter link) that there is a lot of NBA interest in Jack Cooley, and there is a strong possibility that he could be inked to a 10-day contract shortly. Cooley currently plays for the Idaho Stampede, the Jazz‘s D-League affiliate.
- Former Pistons assistant GM George David was hired as director of basketball operations for Wasserman Media Group, Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today reports (Twitter link).
- One college player starting to catch the eye of NBA scouts is Washington’s Robert Upshaw, Sean Deveney of The Sporting News writes. “I would agree that he was a sleeper to start this season, maybe,” one league scout told Deveney. “He is not a sleeper anymore.” The 7’0″ center is averaging 11.1 points and 7.8 rebounds so far this season, and he is drawing interest as a potential first-rounder, Deveney notes.
- The Warriors have assigned Ognjen Kuzmic to their D-League affiliate in Santa Cruz, the team announced in a press release. This will be Kuzmic’s fourth trek of the season to the D-League.
Central Notes: Pistons, Love, Bostic, Cavs
The Pistons have now won more games this season without Josh Smith than they did with him. This successful run isn’t a coincidence, but there are other factors involved beyond Smith’s departure, Michael Lee of The Washington Post writes. Lee also points to the sudden resurgence of Brandon Jennings and Jodie Meeks‘ return from injury as major reasons why Detroit is suddenly on a roll.
Here’s the latest out of the Central Division:
- The Pistons recalled guard Spencer Dinwiddie from the Grand Rapids Drive, their D-League affiliate, the team has announced (Twitter link). This was the first assignment of the season for Dinwiddie, and in four games with the Drive he averaged 16.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists per contest.
- One of the Cavaliers‘ continuing struggles this season has been finding a way to properly utilize Kevin Love, Lee opines in a separate piece. With Love able to opt out of his deal at season’s end, it is imperative that coach David Blatt make the big man feel comfortable in Cleveland’s system, Lee opines.
- Pistons camp invitee Josh Bostic inked a deal with the Belgian club Proximus Spirou, Eurobasket.com reports. Bostic was playing for Detroit’s D-League affiliate, averaging 6.7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 15 appearances this season.
- Newly acquired big man Timofey Mozgov brings two valuable assets with him to the Cavs: his ability to protect the rim, and a familiarity with Blatt’s system, Seth Partnow of BBallBreakdown.com opines. Blatt coached Mozgov when both were with the Russian national team, Partnow notes, which will help the big man acclimate to his new surrounding much quicker.
- The cost for the Cavs to add Mozgov to the roster, including remaining salary owed and the luxury tax hit, will be approximately $9.3MM, Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com notes (Twitter link).
- In a separate piece, Windhorst broke down all the machinations and moves Cleveland made, beginning with the 2014 NBA draft, which led to the Mozgov deal.
- Cavs GM David Griffin acknowledged the team’s recent deals were costly, but were necessary if the team wanted to contend this season, Chris Fedor of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “We feel like we’ve done it without completely mortgaging the future,” Griffin said. “People look at the number of picks we’ve given away, and everybody thinks, ‘oh my goodness, you’ve given away the farm.’ Well, we had an unbelievable farm. So we were putting it to work. And we’re really pleased with where we are now.”
Atlantic Notes: Wallace, Smith, Sixers, D-League
Gerald Wallace openly criticized the Nets‘ 2013 trade with Boston, where the franchise sacrificed three first-round picks for Paul Pierce, who is no longer with the team, and Kevin Garnett, who is now a shadow of his former self, Stefan Bondy of The New York Daily News writes. “It was one of those stories of a get-rich-quick scheme. You either hit it big or you don’t,” Wallace said. “They took a gamble. It backfired.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets have recalled Markel Brown and Cory Jefferson from the Maine Red Claws of the NBA D-League, the team announced. This was the initial D-League jaunt of the season for both players.
- In a statement that may not please even the most patient of Sixers fans, coach Brett Brown said that Philadelphia’s rebuilding process could take “three to five more years,” Tom Moore of Calkins Media reports (Twitter link).
- Former Knick J.R. Smith wasn’t surprised by the trade that sent him to Cleveland, but he wasn’t thrilled about the timing of it, Chris Haynes of The Northeast Ohio Media Group writes. “The way it was done caught me off guard, warming up and stuff like that,” Smith said. “I thought that was a poor decision and then I seen what happened to Dion Waiters where he literally got his name called for the starting lineup, [then] I thought my situation wasn’t so bad.”
- Smith also commented on the difficulties that the Knicks have had since team president Phil Jackson came aboard, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. “Everybody in the building was pretty much walking on eggshells, so it’s kind of hard to prosper that way, especially when you’re not accustomed to it,” Smith said. “But I’m sure they’ll get it right. I mean, it’s just difficult learning a new system, a new way to play. The whole culture over there pretty much changed. I mean, a lot of guys have certain routines when they get on the court, when they don’t get on the court, and all of that was so flip-flopped and it kind of caught everybody off guard.”
- Knicks coach Derek Fisher didn’t take issue with Smith’s comments, Begley notes. “I think we’ve been very frank about the fact that everyone was learning how to work together and become a team and become a group. Whether that’s eggshells or whether that’s just getting to learn how to win just depends on the person that you’re talking to,” Fisher said.
Knicks Sign Langston Galloway To 10-Day Deal
WEDNESDAY, 1:43pm: The signing is official, the Knicks announced (on Twitter).
TUESDAY, 4:43pm: The Knicks are set to sign Langston Galloway to a 10-day contract, Shams Charania of RealGM reports. Galloway was playing for the Westchester Knicks, New York’s D-League affiliate. The Knicks currently have 15 players on their roster, so a corresponding move will need to be made. It was reported that New York was likely to release at least two of the three players they acquired in the three-way trade with the Thunder and the Cavs Monday night.
New York had acquired Lance Thomas, Louis Amundson, and Alex Kirk in the deal that sent Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith to Cleveland, and the speculation was that Thomas would be the only one of the three to be retained. The Knicks have until 4pm central time on Wednesday to decide who they will keep, or else they will be on the hook for the remainder of the players’ salaries for the season.
Galloway has appeared in 19 games for Westchester this season, averaging 16.5 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists while logging 36.8 minutes per contest. His slash line in the D-League this season was .447/.358/.830. The 6’2″ guard was with the Knicks during the preseason after going undrafted out of St. Joseph’s.
Western Notes: Jackson, Ledo, Lakers
Thunder guard Reggie Jackson was under the impression that he was headed to the Knicks in Monday night’s deal, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports writes. “I thought I was traded,” Jackson said. “I was just thinking I was going to go home and pack and that was it.” Jackson had heard all the rumors, but said that his nerves were calmed when he didn’t get a call from his agent Aaron Mintz and brother/manager Travis Jackson, Spears adds.
Here’s more from the Western Conference:
- The Mavericks have recalled Ricky Ledo from the Texas Legends, their D-League affiliate, Earl K. Sneed of Mavs.com reports (Twitter link). This was Ledo’s seventh trek to the D-League this season.
- One of the beneficiaries of the Rajon Rondo trade is Richard Jefferson, who is seeing more playing time with Mavs now that Jae Crowder is in Boston, Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com writes. “He [coach Rick Carlisle] didn’t really have me in the rotation,” Jefferson said. “It was just a matter of me staying a professional and waiting on the opportunity. It was always tough for me just because I’d never been in that situation. Now I’m starting to feel more comfortable and showing that I can do things a little more consistently.”
- Lakers president Jeanie Buss sees no benefit in Los Angeles tanking this season, Eric Pincus of The Los Angeles Times writes. “The draft pick [the Lakers owe] to Phoenix, if we don’t give it to them this year, we have to give it to them next year, so I don’t really see what the logic would be,” Buss said. “Try to tank to keep it this year, because we’d just have to give it away next year — that doesn’t resonate with me,” she continued. “I think it’s impossible to tell your coach and tell your players, ‘Try not to win.’ That goes against everything an organization is about.“
- The Thunder‘s signing of Anthony Morrow to a team-friendly deal this offseason paved the way for the team to acquire Dion Waiters, Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman writes. Morrow’s first-year salary of $3.2MM kept Oklahoma City from triggering a hard cap that likely would have prevented this trade from being made, Mayberry notes.
Pacific Notes: Corbin, Lakers, Wilcox
Kings GM Pete D’Alessandro confirmed that Tyrone Corbin would indeed coach Sacramento for the remainder of the season, as the GM said in a radio interview Monday on KHTK-AM, Bill Herenda of CSNBayArea.com notes. When Corbin took over for the fired Mike Malone, it was assumed that he would merely be the interim coach, notes Herenda, but the team intended to have Corbin finish out the season all along. D’Alessandro did admit that he spoke with George Karl after Malone was fired, but D’Alessandro said the organization supports Corbin fully, Herenda adds.
Here’s the latest out of the Pacific Division:
- The Clippers have assigned C.J. Wilcox to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the D-League, the team has announced. This will be Wilcox’s first trip of the season to the D-League, and he is the first player that the Clippers have assigned this season.
- Blazers guard Steve Blake still has warm regards for the Lakers, with whom he spent four years of his career before being dealt to Golden State last season, Mark Medina of The Los Angeles Daily News writes. Blake said that he “absolutely” had interest in re-signing with the Lakers this offseason, Medina notes. Blake also relayed that he and the Lakers talked at the beginning of free agency, though Los Angeles was waiting on the decisions of LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. “As soon as the Blazers made me an offer, I took it pretty quickly,” Blake said. “There were a lot of questions for the Lakers to answer before they could get around to someone like me. I wasn’t the first option. A lot of those things didn’t clear themselves up until it was too late.”
- In the same article by Medina, Chris Kaman, who didn’t mesh well with former Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni‘s system, blamed himself for signing with L.A. “I can point fingers all day long. But it was my choice where I went,” said Kaman. “I made the call and thought it would work. I don’t think that Mike D’Antoni purposely tried to [expletive] anybody over. It’s just the way he wants to play people.”
- Kaman also blames the Lakers‘ delay while waiting for ‘Melo and LeBron for why he didn’t return to Los Angeles, Medina notes. “Mitch Kupchak [Lakers GM] took forever trying to wait for Carmelo,” Kaman said. “I think that was [executive] Jimmy Buss. They lost a lot of opportunities personally by waiting that long. They lost a bunch of guys that went the other way. My guess is Jimmy said we want to wait for those guys so they can try to make a run at it.”
Eastern Notes: Jackson, Napier, Thomas
Knicks president Phil Jackson won’t prove that he’s worth the $12MM per year salary that team owner James Dolan is paying him until he lands some meaningful free agents this summer, Ian O’Connor of ESPNNewYork.com opines. The problem for Jackson is that the top free agents are likely to stay with their current teams, O’Connor notes. The best Jackson can hope for is to possibly ink Greg Monroe and Goran Dragic, nice hauls, but not quite championship caliber players, the ESPN scribe adds.
Here’s more out of the East:
- The Heat have recalled Shabazz Napier from the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their D-League affiliate, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel reports (Twitter link). This was Napier’s second journey of the season to Sioux Falls.
- The Knicks may waive Lance Thomas to create an additional roster spot, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com reports (Twitter link). Thomas, who was acquired in Monday night’s three-way deal with the Cavs and the Thunder, was reported to be the one player whom New York was looking to retain of the three it had garnered in the deal.
- With the trade market beginning to heat up, Alex Kennedy of Basketball Insiders looks at the players who are most likely to be dealt prior to the February trade deadline. Players who Kennedy opines could be on the move include Deron Williams (Nets), Jeff Green (Celtics), Andrei Kirilenko (Sixers), and Brandan Wright (Celtics).
Knicks Notes: Jackson, Anthony, Murry
Team president Phil Jackson demanded a five-year deal and a promise that owner James Dolan wouldn’t meddle before the Zen Master agreed to join the Knicks this past spring, and that’s looking like a wise bargain from Jackson’s end, as Sean Deveney of The Sporting News believes. Jackson has the leeway necessary for the tear-down he’s undertaking, one that’s necessary for the Knicks to once again contend for titles, Deveney opines.
Here’s the latest out of NYC:
- The removal of talent surrounding Carmelo Anthony makes it more likely that the Knicks will have Anthony miss the rest of the season so he can rehabilitate his sore knee, argues Chris Herring of The Wall Street Journal.
- While the return that the Knicks received for dealing away J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert was underwhelming, Jackson made the deal because he and his staff feared that if the Cavaliers got hot as a team, they would potentially lose interest in acquiring those players, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes. Jackson was also afraid that if Smith’s injury lingered, then he would become untradeable, Berman also notes.
- Jackson’s first season as team president will be remembered for all the cap room that he cleared, but his true test as an executive will be how he puts it to use this coming summer, Mike Vaccaro of The New York Post writes.
- The Knicks’ trade of Smith and Shumpert signifies that the franchise is working toward the future once again, instead of angling for a playoff berth, Brian Mahoney of The Associated Press writes. This feels like a repeat of what transpired six years ago, when the Knicks traded Zach Randolph and Jamal Crawford to set themselves up for a shot at LeBron James in the summer of 2010, a plan that backfired, Mahoney adds.
- Toure’ Murry is entering the D-League, and the Knicks‘ affiliate is likely to claim him via the waiver process, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reports (Twitter link). Murry, who was recently waived by the Jazz, appeared in 51 games for New York during the 2013/14 campaign, averaging 2.7 points and 1.0 assist in 7.3 minutes per contest.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Whiteside, Celtics, Young
The development of Hassan Whiteside this season has given the Heat hope for the future, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. “He’s learning the game,” Dwyane Wade said. “Every time he steps out there, you can see him getting more comfortable. I think as teammates we are a lot more confident, especially on the defensive end when he’s in. He’s big for us.” Coach Erik Spoelstra credits Whiteside’s growth as a player to the his tireless work ethic, Winderman adds.
Here’s more from the Eastern Conference:
- The Celtics have once again recalled James Young from the Maine Red Claws, their D-League affiliate, the team announced in a press release. This was Young’s eighth stint in the D-League this season, and in eight games with Maine he is averaging 22.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 steals in 32.6 minutes per contest.
- With the trade of Rajon Rondo, the Celtics are now in full rebuilding mode, and one issue that has cropped up is that the team now has 15 players with a legitimate reason to believe they should be playing more, Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald writes. “I think everybody can make a case for having even a bigger role than they have,” president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said. “I guess that’s just part of it. I think they all have responded well, and they’re all playing hard and trying to make a case for themselves.”
- It’s possible that the rotation picture will clear up once the February trade deadline passes and the players will feel a better sense of stability, notes Bulpett, but Gerald Wallace has a different take. “But I don’t think so even then because you’ve got a lot of players that are on the last year of their deal,” Wallace said. “So I think once the trade deadline passes, that’s going to probably amp things up more because guys’ lives are at stake, guys’ careers are at stake. They’re on the last year of their deal, and obviously those guys want to be able to play and want to go into the summer in a good position for contract talks. We’ll see.”