Los Angeles Notes: Pau, Williams, Bledsoe
As the Lakers prepare to host a New Year’s Eve contest against the Bucks, let’s check in on the latest items on Los Angeles’ two NBA teams….
- Following up on ESPN’s report that the Lakers and Cavs have discussed a trade centered around Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes that such a move would represent a “fundamental shift in [the Lakers’] competitive and financial DNA.” Rival executives are dubious that the Lakers would really make a drastic cost-cutting move, and Berger doesn’t believe it would benefit the team in the short- or long-term, though I think he may be underselling the benefit of getting out of the tax this season — in that scenario, the Lakers could be a tax team again by 2015/16 and avoid paying the repeater penalty.
- For what it’s worth, the early returns on Hoops Rumors’ poll today suggest many of our readers believe the Lakers‘ best strategy for Gasol involves a salary-dump trade.
- In his list of potential fits for Bynum, ESPN.com’s Amin Elhassan (Insider link) classifies the Clippers as strong contenders, and doesn’t mention the Lakers. Of course, Elhassan’s piece is focusing more on logical on-court destinations for Bynum, rather than the best trade partners for the Cavs.
- In a separate ESPN Insider piece, Tom Haberstroh writes that the Lakers should embrace 2014’s Tankapalooza.
- Terrence Williams‘ D-League team will be the Los Angeles D-Fenders, the Lakers‘ affiliate, according to Gino Pilato of D-League Digest. Williams, who played for the Celtics last season, signed to play in Turkey this year, but returned stateside in November for family reasons.
- Eric Bledsoe spoke to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com about returning to the Staples Center to face the Clippers for the first time as a Sun. Doc Rivers discussed Bledsoe as well, referring to the three-way trade involving the Clippers and Suns as a deal that should ultimately help both clubs.
- More Rivers on Bledsoe: “He was ready to be a starter. There’s no doubt about it. We really only had one talk and I talked to his representatives, and they made that very clear. If it wasn’t starting, it was playing a lot of minutes. That could have happened here. I just didn’t know if it was going to happen here, and I didn’t know if he would be happy or not. I think he would have handled it, but it would have been no fun.”
Pacific Notes: Suns, Bledsoe, Warriors
Earlier today, ESPN.com’s Marc Stein reported that the Lakers approached the Nets earlier this month to see if Brooklyn had any interest in a deal centered around Pau Gasol and Brook Lopez. The exploratory talks, which happened before Lopez’s injury, didn’t go anywhere, as the Nets balked at the idea. With Lopez out for the year, that possibility is dead, but it does show that L.A. might be willing to take on contracts beyond 2015. Tonight’s look at the Pacific..
- Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld looks at five pending free agents due for raises this summer, including Suns restricted free agent Eric Bledsoe. Before the season, they likely could have locked him to to an extension with an average annual value of $9-11MM, but the way the guard has played in his first full season as a starter, it looks like he’s headed for a max or near-max contract offer.
- Suns GM Ryan McDonough watched Bledsoe for years, first in college as the kid who played alongside John Wall at Kentucky, then with the Clippers where he was Chris Paul‘s understudy, writes Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. “You just saw these flashes of what he could do,” McDonough said. “He doesn’t have a lot of holes in his game. There’s not a lot of things he can’t do, just with his strength, his athletic ability and his shooting.“
- The Warriors announced that they have recalled center Ognjen Kuzmic from the Santa Cruz Warriors of the D-League. Kuzmic was assigned to Santa Cruz on December 28 and played 16 minutes in last night’s game against the Bakersfield Jam, registering two points, nine rebounds, and one blocked shot. To keep up with all of this year’s D-League assignments and recalls, check out Hoops Rumors’ running list.
Rajon Rondo Could Spend Time In D-League
Rajon Rondo practiced again with the Celtics on Monday and is slowly returning to basketball shape. However, he could take a pit stop elsewhere in New England before rejoining the C’s. Coach Brad Stevens says his rehabilitation may include a stint with the team’s D-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws, writes Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
Stevens said Rondo likely wouldn’t return to the Celtics during their five-game West Coast road trip beginning on Jan. 5 and could spend time with Maine practicing and playing in D-League games before coming back to the varsity squad. Rondo has not played since Jan. 25 because of a torn right ACL.
“I would make that a decision on him and our staff,” Stevens said following today’s practice. “That is something that has been discussed, probably some positives and negatives to that, but at the end of the day, it is an option as part of his rehabilitation.”
Stevens’ former point guard at Butler, Ronald Nored, is a player development coach in Maine and he and Rondo have discussed the possibility of Rondo spending some time there. Stevens acknowledged that having Nored there to help ease Rondo back in could be a positive.
The Celtics have not used their D-League affiliate for rehabilitation over the past few years and the last regular to see a stint there was Avery Bradley during his rookie season. Stevens says that he envisions the D-League being used more for rehab assignments going forward, similar to how baseball teams use their farm system to bring players back into the fold.
Eastern Rumors: Deng, Knicks, Bucks, 76ers
When a report surfaced earlier in December suggesting that Luol Deng and the Bulls had been about $5-6MM per year apart in extension talks, I speculated that perhaps Deng was looking for an annual salary in line with his current $14MM+, while the Bulls may have preferred something in the $10MM range. However, according to Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times, the actual figures discussed were a little lower. Cowley reports that Deng and agent Herb Rudoy were seeking $12-13MM annually, while the Bulls slotted the All-Star forward at $7-8MM per year.
With Deng still a year away from free agency when the two sides talked about an extension, perhaps the Bulls were just driving a hard bargain, knowing that they still had plenty of time to work something out. But if Chicago stays committed to something in the neighborhood of $7-8MM annually, it seems highly unlikely that the club will be able to retain Deng beyond this season.
Here’s more from around the East….
- James Dolan is right not to scapegoat coach Mike Woodson for the Knicks’ poor performance this season, since the team’s struggles are the result of years of moves overseen by the owner, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- According to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports, the fact that Dolan told his players there won’t be any trades simply means that the Knicks don’t have any deals imminent — it doesn’t mean the team won’t make moves before the deadline.
- The Bucks and 76ers continue to sit atop Chad Ford’s Tank Rank list at ESPN.com, though Ford says Milwaukee owner Herb Kohl hasn’t totally given up on the idea of contending for the playoffs. Ford adds that the Sixers are among the NBA’s most active teams in trade discussions.
- In his weekly Morning Tip piece at NBA.com, TNT’s David Aldridge spoke to Kohl about finding investors in the Bucks and the possibility of both private and public funding for a new Milwaukee arena. Aldridge also explored the subject of why the Knicks and Nets feel compelled to avoid undertaking a full rebuild.
- The Cavaliers have recalled rookie forward Sergey Karasev from the D-League, according to the Cleveland Plain-Dealer (Twitter link). During his weekend stint with the Canton Charge, Karasev averaged 14.0 PPG in two games, making six three-pointers in total.
Odds & Ends: Spurs, De Colo, Suns, Lottery
The NBA is thinking about doing away with divisions and it doesn’t sound like Cavs coach Mike Brown would be too upset if that happens. “I don’t necessarily look at a division foe as any more important than anybody else,” Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said, according to Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer. “I think it’s natural that you look at just your conference teams a little bit more than you do the other conference. You try not to, but I think it’s natural that you do.” More from around the Association..
- The Spurs announced that they have assigned guard Nando De Colo and forward Malcolm Thomas to the Austin Toros. Both players have had multiple trips to the D-League affiliate. In three games in Austin, De Colo has averaged 30.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 4.33 steals in 38.0 minutes. In his three games with the Toros, Thomas has averaged 20.3 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 4.33 blocks in 37.3 minutes. Keep up with all of this year’s D-League assignments with Hoops Rumors’ running list.
- Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks denies that he’s at odds with offseason pickup Josh Smith, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
- The Suns are catching teams off-guard under first-year head coach Jeff Hornacek, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- Marc J. Spears and Evan Doherty of Yahoo Sports (video link) discuss the pros of the NBA potentially getting rid of the draft lottery. The league is reportedly considering a wheel system.
Eastern Notes: Celtics, Williams, Cunningham
It’s been a fascinating year for the Celtics following their blockbuster deal with the Nets. The C’s hit the reset button by shipping Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn and while they’re anxiously awaiting Rajon Rondo‘s return, there’s plenty of reason to believe that the future in Boston is bright. GM Danny Ainge reflected on 2013 with the Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett. “It was tough because we had so many injuries during the course of the year,” said Ainge. “I thought that our team was actually better than it ended up showing in the playoffs — without Rondo, without Sullinger, without (Leandro) Barbosa, who was playing really well for us (before be tore his left ACL in February). That was tough to overcome. I think our guys did as good as could be expected with what we had.” More from the East..
- Terrence Williams has no plan to return to the Nets‘ D-League affiliate, the Springfield Armor, a source tells Shams Charania of RealGM. The guard, who signed with Turk Telekom in October before parting ways after just two games, is talking to other teams. Williams finished the 2012/13 season with the Celtics.
- The Hawks announced that they recalled guard Jared Cunningham from the Bakersfield Jam of the D-League. Cunningham, who was re-assigned to Bakersfield on December 16, has averaged 18.1 points, 5.4 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 steals in 33.1 minutes in eight games (all starts) in two stints with the Jam this season.
- Arron Afflalo‘s NBA journey has taken him from the Pistons to the Nuggets to the Magic but he says that all of the movement hasn’t affected his development, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Central Notes: Pistons, Copeland, Hill
The failure of Cleveland’s Andrew Bynum experiment has dominated headlines this weekend across the NBA, but while the Cavs have their share of problems, so do most of their rivals in the Central Division. Only the Pacers, with a 24-5 record that’s tied for the league’s best, are any better than four games beneath .500. We’ll pass along a couple of takes on Bynum here amid a larger look at the Central:
- The tension between Josh Smith and Pistons coach Maurice Cheeks that led to Smith’s benching for the second half last night is an ominous sign for the team, as Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News examines.
- Chris Copeland sought the counsel of his then-Knicks teammates as he contemplated his free agency last summer, and Jason Kidd was particularly helpful, Copeland tells Candace Buckner of the Indianapolis Star. The Pacers forward is confident that Kidd, who’s struggling in his first year as coach of the Nets, has the leadership ability to do the job.
- The Pacers have assigned Solomon Hill to the D-League, the team announced. Hill says via Twitter that he asked for the assignment (hat tip to Buckner). Coach Frank Vogel has said that the team didn’t have plans to send Hill down, but the rookie guard has been on the inactive list since Danny Granger returned from injury, Buckner notes (All Twitter links).
- None of the moves the Cavaliers made this past offseason have worked out, including the Bynum signing, and that doesn’t bode well for the franchise after one of the most important summers in its history, opines Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
- Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding argues that Bynum’s free-spirited personality will keep him from once more overcoming his creaky knees and becoming the All-Star he once was, and Ding imparts some of the blame on coach Mike Brown.
Pelicans Might Trade Rights To Pierre Jackson
The latest piece from Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio focuses on collegians, D-Leaguers and overseas players drawing heavy attention from NBA scouts, including Chris Wright, Devin Ebanks and Dylon Cormier, but it also delivers news on a player whose rights belong to an NBA team. The Pelicans are willing to trade Pierre Jackson, the 42nd pick in the draft this past June, for “future considerations” and perhaps cash. It’s not clear exactly what those future considerations would entail.
New Orleans acquired Jackson’s NBA rights from the Sixers as part of this summer’s trade for Jrue Holiday. The Las Vegas native signed this summer with ASVEL Villeurbanne of France, a team in which Tony Parker is a part-owner, but in September he parted ways with the club. Jackson wound up entering the D-League draft, and the Idaho Stampede, the affiliate of the Trail Blazers, picked him fourth overall. Still, neither the Blazers nor any NBA team aside from the Pelicans are allowed to sign him to an NBA contract.
Jackson, a 5’10” point guard from Baylor, is coming off a 41-point performance and averaging 29.0 points per game, and while his 4.8 turnovers per contest outnumber his 4.7 assists average, he’s perhaps the most “dynamic” player in the D-League, Amico writes. He’s nonetheless in a tough spot unless the Pelicans decide to sign him or trade his rights to a team that’s willing to give up assets in a trade for the chance to bring him aboard.
Eastern Links: Nets, West, Deng, Shumpert
Nets players are reportedly confused about their roles on the team amid an organizational lack of patience with Jason Kidd, but Deron Williams tells Tim Bontemps of the New York Post that he thinks the players still support their coach.
“If we were losing some close games and he was making some bad decisions, that would be one thing, but that’s not the case,” Williams said. “We got blown out [Wednesday]. He can’t make us outrebound teams, he can’t make us put the extra little bit in to get over the hump. That’s on us as players to come out and play better.”
There’s more news on the Nets amid our look at the Eastern Conference:
- Pacers power forward David West considered signing with the Nets after the lockout in 2011, but the Teaneck, N.J., native tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News that the team wasn’t interested because of fears regarding his recovery from a torn ACL.
- The Bulls aren’t keen on the idea of trading Luol Deng and if they did, they’d need a piece that solidifies their future, which means they’d require someone better than Iman Shumpert of the Knicks, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
- The Raptors are looking to the future and would ideally like to build with the draft, but in a strange twist of fate, they’re winning games and they may not get that choice lottery pick, writes Howard Beck of the Bleacher Report. Part of the reason for their success could be that several players — as well as coach Dwane Casey — are in their walk years.
- The Heat are off to a strong start and so is their D-League affiliate, notes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
Zach Links contributed to this post.
Odds & Ends: Thomas, Karasev, McGary
Isaiah Thomas’ continued improvement is likely why the Kings felt comfortable parting with Greivis Vasquez in their trade for Rudy Gay, Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling writes in an in-depth look at the Sacramento point guard. Zwerling also spoke to a source who said there have been no contract talks yet between Thomas and the Kings, but he believes the 24-year-old could land a starting salary of $5MM+. The lack of contract discussions is no surprise at this point, since Thomas isn’t eligible for an extension.
Here’s more from around the NBA:
- The Cavaliers have assigned Sergey Karasev to the D-League, the team announced today in a press release. It’s the second time Karasev has been sent to the Canton Charge this season, though his first assignment lasted just one day.
- Michigan prospect Mitch McGary will have back surgery, which figures to end his season, as ESPN.com’s Jeff Goodman details. McGary’s decision to return to school for his sophomore year surprised some, and looks like it may backfire. One NBA GM tells Goodman that McGary will be a “borderline first-rounder” in 2014, whereas he would’ve been a lock in 2013, and a couple more of Goodman’s NBA sources echoed that sentiment (Twitter link).
- In his NBA PM piece for HoopsWorld, Yannis Koutroupis explores whether the Thunder and Knicks ought to make a move or stand pat.