Eastern Notes: Ewing, Gay, Bynum, Celtics
Patrick Ewing is the lead assistant coach for the Bobcats, but the Hall-of-Fame 7-footer thinks front offices have a bias against centers that helps keep him from becoming a head coach, as he tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. None of the current NBA head coaches who played in the league were centers, and none of the 10 winningest coaches in league history were true centers, either, as Spears points out. Ewing has long been anxious to take over a team, and Bobcats head coach Steve Clifford says Ewing’s put in the work necessary to break the mold. Here’s the latest from the Eastern Conference:
- Rudy Gay will face the Raptors for the first time as a member of the Kings tonight, and Matt Kawahara of The Sacramento Bee examines how Gay and his former team have both emerged better for the deal.
- Andrew Bynum‘s pitch to the Pacers during a three-hour meeting with the team the night before he signed was key to the deal, GM Kevin Pritchard said Tuesday on ESPN Radio with Colin Cowherd. Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star provides a transcription.
- The Celtics have recalled Vitor Faverani from the D-League a day after sending him down, the team announced. He suffered a left knee injury while with the Maine Red Claws on Tuesday, as Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe details.
- Philadelphia’s shuttling of Lorenzo Brown continues, as the Sixers today recalled the point guard from the D-League after sending him down Tuesday, the team announced via Twitter. It was his fourth assignment of one day or less.
Othyus Jeffers To Rejoin D-League
Recent Spurs 10-day signee Othyus Jeffers will return to the D-League’s Iowa Energy, tweets Shams Charania of RealGM.com. The Spurs terminated their deal with Jeffers a day early this past weekend so they could sign Shannon Brown. Jeffers has spent part of five of the last six seasons with the Energy, who retain his D-League rights.
The 28-year-old appeared in four games and even started one for injury-hit San Antonio, taking just five shots and scoring seven points in 34 total minutes. Jeffers has otherwise experienced his best season in the D-League this year, setting career highs of 22.8 points and 11.4 rebounds per game.
Charania suggests part of Jeffers’ motivation for heading back to the D-League is his desire to stay on the radar of NBA teams. Given his extensive D-League resume and lack of international experience, the move is no surprise.
Western Rumors: Clippers, Aldridge, Gay
Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.com examine the chances that the Clippers could wind up with LeBron James this summer, calling them “perhaps the most serious competitor” the Heat will face for the four-time MVP. The Clippers aren’t set to have cap space, but Miami had to pull off some last-minute moves to open up room for their free agent haul in 2010, and a source close to James tells the ESPN.com scribes that James will consider teams without cap room. It would require the Heat to cooperate, and league executives believe they’d ask for Blake Griffin as part of a sign-and-trade, according to Windhorst and Shelburne. While we wait to see if that scenario plays out, here’s more from the West:
- LaMarcus Aldridge says he’ll make “winning and happiness and making sure my worth is valued” his priorities in his next contract negotiations, and tells Ken Berger of CBSSports.com that he wants to wait until summer to talk about an extension. That’s the same timetable Blazers owner Paul Allen said he’ll take shortly after Aldridge revealed he’d be open to an extension.
- Rudy Gay tells Marc Stein of ESPN.com that he isn’t leaning one way or another about whether to exercise his player option this summer, but he says he appreciates the on-court freedom the Kings have given him since December’s trade.
- The Suns have assigned Archie Goodwin to the D-League, the team announced. The rookie performed well on his first trip to the Bakersfield Jam late last month, averaging 29.5 points and 6.0 rebounds in a pair of games.
- Andre Roberson is back from yesterday’s assignment to the D-League, the Thunder announced. The power forward put up 20 points and 11 rebounds Tuesday for the Tulsa 66ers.
Northwest Notes: Miller, Harden, Jazz
Andre Miller‘s estrangement from the Nuggets has driven down his value, writes Sean Deveney of The Sporting News. Sources from around the league tell Deveney they believe the Timberwolves, who are eager to add a guard, and the Kings are the main contenders for Miller. If Miller is to suit up for the Nuggets again, he’ll have to approach them about the idea, since the team isn’t going to reach out to him, coach Brian Shaw says, according to Chris Dempsey of the Denver Post. Here’s more from the Northwest:
- James Harden wouldn’t tell Henry Abbott of ESPN.com whether he’d have signed with the Thunder if they had offered him the same max extension the Rockets did. Still, he says he could have envisioned a long-term future in OKC under the right circumstances, pointing to his strong relationship with his ex-teammates.
- The Jazz are unlikely to make a move before the deadline, unless a significant offer for Marvin Williams or Richard Jefferson emerges, according to Chad Ford of ESPN.com (Insider only).
- The Thunder have assigned Andre Roberson to the D-League, the team announced via Twitter. Oklahoma City often shuttled a handful of players back and forth from the Tulsa 66ers last season, but Roberson is the only one they’ve sent down this year.
Sixers Notes: Dedmon, Brett Brown, D-League
Evan Turner appears to be at the forefront of the Sixers’ trade deadline plans, though fellow veterans Thaddeus Young and Spencer Hawes remain in the mix for a swap, too. Philadelphia figures to be a hub for activity in the next two and a half weeks, so here’s the latest on a team seemingly in transition.
- The Sixers have elected not to re-sign Dewayne Dedmon after his second 10-day contract expired overnight, and coach Brett Brown doesn’t expect the team to replace the center immediately, according to Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com.
- Michael Kaskey-Blomain of the Philadelphia Inquirer examines what Brown has revealed about his philosophy in his half-season as an NBA coach, noting his affinity for three-pointers and a fast pace.
- The Sixers have recalled Lorenzo Brown from the D-League, the team announced. It was the rookie point guard’s fifth assignment, and his fourth since New Year’s Day.
Southwest Notes: James, Thunder, Mavs
The latest out of the Southwest Division..
- The Grizzlies are considering picking up Mike James on a 10-day deal, according to Ronald Tillery of the Commercial Appeal (via Twitter). The guard inked a 10-day pact with the Bulls on January 22nd but Chicago allowed it to lapse rather than sign him to a second one.
- The Thunder announced that they have recalled forward Andre Roberson from the Tulsa 66ers. Roberson, who is very familiar with the trip from Oklahoma City to Tulsa at this point, recorded two double-doubles while averaging 14.8 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.75 steals, 1.75 blocks and 31.3 minutes in four games during his most recent assignment. Overall, the forward is averaging 15.6 points, 10.0 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 2.45 steals, 1.45 blocks and 35.2 minutes in eleven games with Tulsa.
- The Mavericks announced today that they have recalled rookie guard Shane Larkin from the Texas Legends of the D-League. Larkin has played in 32 games for the Mavericks and is averaging 3.6 points and 1.8 assists in 12.5 minutes per contest.
Pacific Notes: Williams, Warriors, Brooks
Sasha Vujacic has been on the Clippers’ radar for quite some time now and it looks like they’re finally on the verge of signing him. The veteran guard has already undergone a physical and he is expected to be in a Clippers jersey tomorrow night when Blake Griffin & Co. take on the Nuggets. The move will give L.A. some extra reinforcements as Chris Paul is sidelined with a separated shoulder. More out of the Pacific..
- With Manny Harris‘ second 10-day deal set to lapse and Pau Gasol still on the mend, don’t be surprised to see the Lakers give Shawne Williams another look, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. Williams is right around the corner from the Lakers after recently hooking on with the Los Angeles D-Fenders.
- The Warriors are putting their plans for a gorgeous new stadium in San Francisco on hold by about a year (and possibly longer), write Philip Matier and Andrew Ross of the San Francisco Chronicle. Recently, Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob acknowledged that it would be tough for the club to get to their new home by the original target of 2017.
- Speaking of the Warriors, they announced that they have recalled Kent Bazemore and MarShon Brooks from the Santa Cruz Warriors of the D-League. Both players were assigned to Santa Cruz on Saturday and participated in the team’s 110-105 victory over the Bakersfield Jam at Kaiser Permanente Arena in Santa Cruz. Bazemore registered a game-high 25 points, along with three rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in 33 minutes, while Brooks added six points, two assists, one rebound and a steal in 22 minutes. To keep up with all of this year’s D-League assignments and recalls, check out Hoops Rumors’ running list.
Odds & Ends: Heat, Melo, Durant, Nuggets
If the Heat fall to the Pacers because of the Andrew Bynum signing, then the Heat weren’t going to win the title anyway, writes Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel. Bynum doesn’t figure to rise any higher in the Pacers rotation than the ninth or tenth man, and if that is the determining factor, then Miami has deeper issues with their roster than one player can change. Winderman believes the Heat tandem of Chris Bosh and Chris Andersen versus Roy Hibbert and Bynum should still be fine, as Andersen is a match for Bynum defensively. The Heat also tend to favor playing with smaller lineups, which won’t change their strategy against the Pacers.
More from around the league:
- LeBron James doesn’t have any insight on where Carmelo Anthony will play next season, writes Mitch Abramson of The New York Daily News. James said, “I don’t know (what he’s thinking). I’m a good friend of his but I don’t know what his mind is saying or what’s going through his mind. He loves to play basketball and just like the rest of us — we want to win. That’s the number one thing. When you do something your whole life you want to win at it and you want to work at it. You don’t want it to be easy but you want to give yourself an opportunity to win. But I don’t know what’s going through his mind.“
- Michael Lee of The Washington Post is the latest to weigh in on the possibility of Kevin Durant joining the Wizards in 2016. When Durant was asked about the possibility, he stated, “I don’t even want to think about that. I haven’t given it any thought, playing up here. I love Oklahoma City. I love coming here and visiting.” Whether or not he wants to give it any thought, it will be difficult not to if it’s a topic of conversation over the next two seasons.
- Gino Pilato of D-League Digest.com examines if Kevin Murphy is worthy of an NBA call-up. Murphy is currently with the Idaho Stampede, and is averaging 23.5 PPG, 6.0 RPG, and 1.4 APG in 32.2 minutes. Before joining the Idaho Stampede this season, Murphy played in 11 games with the Reno Bighorns on a D-League assignment from the Jazz last year, where he averaged 13.2 PPG, 3.0 RPG, and 1.6 APG. He didn’t make much of an impact during his time with the Jazz, playing in only 17 games, and averaging 0.9 PPG in 2012/2013.
- The Nuggets are at a crossroads this season. Do they tank for a better draft pick, or try to trade their way into a playoff berth? There is a third choice, writes Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post. The team could try and follow the Pacers model of building a contender according to Dempsey. That team parlayed shrewd drafting and smart role-player signings into being a championship caliber team. The Pacers avoided pursing big-name free agents, and Dempsey believes this is the most realistic path for the Nuggets to take. The Nuggets currently sit at 22-23, and are 3 1/2 games out of the final playoff spot. A number of injuries to key players will make it difficult for the current roster to make the playoffs. Denver has two first-rounders this year, but will have to ship the lower of the two to the Magic, either their own, or the Knicks‘ pick they obtained from the Carmelo Anthony deal.
Celtics Recall Faverani From D-League
The Celtics announced today that they have recalled center Vitor Faverani from their NBA D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Faverani, a 6-11 center, has appeared in three games for the Red Claws this season and has averaged 16.3 PPG, 12.0 PPG, 3.7 APG, and 1.33 BPG , while logging 31.3 MPG.
During his recent assignment to the Red Claws, Faverani appeared in two games and recorded 16 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks against Delaware on Friday, and provided 20 points, 17 rebounds and six assists against Erie last night.
Faverani has played in 37 games this season for the Celtics, and has averaged 4.4 PPG, and 3.5 RPG, in 13.2 MPG. He’ll be in uniform for today’s game against Orlando.
Odds & Ends: Bynum, Silver, Boozer, Carmelo
News broke this morning that the Pacers officially signed Andrew Bynum to contract that covers the remainder of the season. The former All-Star didn’t find a fit in Cleveland, and a tweet from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio reveals that part of Bynum’s frustration with the Cavs was aimed at Kyrie Irving. A source tells Amico that Bynum didn’t believe the team “knew how to win.” Here are a few tidbits from Saturday afternoon around the NBA:
- The Bleacher Report interviewed some notable NBA figures to get a bunch of interesting ideas they’d like to see new commissioner Adam Silver tackle, including raising the NBA draft age limit, getting a team in Seattle, and changing salary structures.
- Mike McGraw of The Daily Herald believes the Bulls will use the amnesty clause on Carlos Boozer, but suggests that more of a shakeup will be needed to sign Carmelo Anthony. McGraw thinks the Bulls need to move Taj Gibson in order to create room for Anthony.
- Christopher Dempsey of The Denver Post thinks Nate Robinson‘s season-ending ACL tear will have two definitive effects: the Nuggets will require a guard in return for Andre Miller (on the trading block), and Robinson will likely pick up his $2.1MM player option for next season rather than testing free agency before proving he’s back on the other side of surgery and rehab.
- Jodie Meeks tells Mark Medina of L.A. Daily News that he hopes he can stay with Lakers after this season: “I love it here and hope I can stay a long time.” He’s on the last year of a two-year, $3.05MM contract and is one of many Lakers that come off the books for next season.
- The Warriors announced in a press release that they’ve officially assigned MarShon Brooks and Kent Bazemore to the Santa Cruz Warriors. This confirms a report we passed along earlier this afternoon that said the duo would be heading to the D-League.
Cray Allred contributed to this post.