Lakers Notes: Nash, Kelly, Harris, Young
As we heard yesterday, Steve Nash denied having considered the possibility of retirement, telling reporters that he still has “18 months” of basketball left, referring to the last two years on his contract. Nash also told Dave McMenamin of ESPN Los Angeles that he’s “inching forward” in his physical therapy and rehab, and Mike D’Antoni suggests that the veteran point guard could return to practice during the first week of December. Here’s more on the 39-year-old and his Lakers teammates:
- Nash recognizes that speculation about his retirement is inevitable at this point of his career, as he tells McMenamin: “I’m 40 in a couple of months. I think people look at the success I’ve had in my career and they wonder if I still have the motivation just to get on the court. But I do. The perspective is that I’ve only got a short window of basketball left in my life. I want to try to get in as much hoops as I can before it’s time to do something else.”
- The Lakers have assigned Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris to their D-League affiliate, as Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv notes via Twitter. The team had just recalled the rookies on Thursday after initially sending them down last week. Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times expects the Lakers will bring them back to the big club in advance of Sunday’s game.
- The Lakers signed Nick Young this summer to a minimum-salary contract, and he’s proved a bargain so far, having entered Friday with the fourth-highest scoring average among reserves this season, as McMenamin examines.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
D-League Notes: Kelly, Harris, Heat, Expansion
The D-League’s regular season is underway, and the D-League website features a list of young prospects to follow during the 2013/14 season. Some of the young players on the list currently have their rights held by NBA squads, but many are training camp invitees that didn’t make an opening night roster. There’s no telling when the next Jeremy Lin might unexpectedly emerge so it’s definitely worth monitoring the young talent found in the NBA’s official minor league organization.
Here’s some D-League news and notes from Thursday night:
- Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com tweets that the Lakers have recalled Ryan Kelly and Elias Harris from their D-League affiliate, the D-Fenders. Neither have seen much NBA action yet this year, and Eric Pincus of the LA Times tweets that their recall is probably just a formality.
- Ira Winderman points out (via Twitter) that the D-League affiliate for the Heat is sporting a particularly impressive roster. Although the Heat do not own their rights, it’s worth noting that Miami’s developmental squad houses three former NBA players: Bill Walker, DeAndre Liggins, and Quincy Douby.
- Dan Reed, president of the D-League, envisions his circuit expanding into a 30 team organization where each NBA club has it’s own minor league affiliate. Jeff Zillgitt of USA TODAY Sports sat down with Reed, who appears confident that his vision will one day become a reality: “If you had asked me this three or four years ago, I would have said it will be a very long time horizon. If you ask me now, that time frame has shortened substantially.” Reed has been the president of the D-League since 2007.
- To keep up with all the D-League assignments and recalls throughout the year, be sure to check out Hoops Rumors 2013/14 D-League Assignments page.
Pacific Notes: Kings, Cousins, McCallum
A quick look at the Pacific Division..
- It is clear that the Kings are trying to build their future around DeMarcus Cousins and rookie Ben McLemore, but beyond that, the right deal might pry loose almost anyone else on the roster, writes Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld. It has been reported that Sacramento is “aggressively” pursuing a trade early on in the season.
- Speaking of the Kings, they announced this afternoon that they have assigned Ray McCallum to the D-League’s Reno Bighorns. McCallum, the 36th overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft, has not seen action in the Kings’ eleven games this season. He averaged 3.8 points, 1.0 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.20 steals and 12.2 minutes per game in five games off the bench for the Kings in the preseason. The move reunites him with former Kings training camp players Brandon Heath, DeQuan Jones, and Trent Lockett.
- The Warriors recalled Nemanja Nedovic, Ognjen Kuzmic, and the newly signed Dewayne Dedmon in advance of last night’s game against the Grizzlies, the team announced. In last night’s 88-81 loss, Kuzmic was the only one of the three to see playing time. To keep tabs on this year’s D-League assignments, check out Hoops Rumors’ running list for 2013/14.
Odds & Ends: Price, Bennett, Warriors
The Knicks and Celtics were among the losing teams on a five-game Tuesday in the NBA, and while those clubs fall farther beneath .500, it sounds like they’re thinking about helping each other out via trade, as Bleacher Report’s Jared Zwerling detailed tonight. Zwerling has a ton of news from New York and Boston, as well as a couple other NBA teams, in the piece we linked to earlier tonight, and there are still more noteworthy items as a busier-than-usual November continues:
- A.J. Price tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post that the Wizards never made contact with him while he was a free agent this offseason (Twitter link). The point guard had been confident he’d return to the Wizards, according to Lee, but Price signed with the Timberwolves instead.
- Jim Ingraham of The News-Herald worries that the Cavs‘ selection of Anthony Bennett first overall is on its way to becoming a “colossal, franchise-rattling whiff” and believes Cleveland should send Bennett on a D-League assignment.
- Cavs coach Mike Brown remains confident that Bennett will hit his stride in time, observes fellow News-Herald scribe Bob Finnan.
- The Warriors assigned Nemanja Nedovic, Ognjen Kuzmic and the newly signed Dewayne Dedmon to their D-League affiliate today, the team announced.
Atlantic Notes: Chris Smith, Raptors, C’s
Let’s check out a few of the latest items from out of the Atlantic Division….
- The Knicks have assigned Chris Smith to the D-League, the team announced today (Twitter link). The regular season is set to get underway for the Erie BayHawks later this week, so Smith should get a chance to earn the minutes he wasn’t seeing in New York.
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun believes the Raptors, as constructed, could be a playoff team in the East this season. However, Wolstat doesn’t endorse building around the current core long-term, suggesting that the pieces don’t really fit together. Wolstat adds (via Twitter) that what should be done with the roster and what can be done are two different things, since teams aren’t exactly “beating down [the] doors” to trade for Rudy Gay, DeMar DeRozan, or Kyle Lowry.
- The Celtics‘ offseason roster moves have forced Jeff Green into a more prominent role, but he may be miscast as a focal point of the offense, observes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald.
- Earlier today, we rounded up several Knicks rumors and passed along Danny Ainge‘s comments on Rajon Rondo trade rumors.
Eastern Links: Cavs, Nets, Bobcats, Wallace
A 3-7 record is not what the Cavaliers had in mind for a season in which they’re facing owner Dan Gilbert’s mandate to make the playoffs, and the frustration is boiling up to the surface. Cavs players had a heated exchange during a players-only meeting Wednesday, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN.com, and Dion Waiters was one of those involved, as Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio tweets. It remains to be seen whether the discord will result in a roster move, but Cleveland will probably be a team to watch when the trade deadline approaches. Here’s more on a few teams the Cavs are trying to overcome in the East:
- The Nets have recalled Tornike Shengelia from the D-League, the team announced. Deron Williams, Brook Lopez and Paul Pierce are all out for tonight’s game with the Clippers, so Brooklyn is likely making the move to shore up its depth.
- The Bobcats are hiring Matt Carroll for an apparent non-playing gig, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. The Pennsylvania native had an informal coaching role with the Sixers in training camp, and now he’ll join the team with which he spent most of his 10 seasons as a player.
- Bonnell also checks in with one of Carroll’s former Bobcats teammates in Gerald Wallace, who’s no longer the player he once was, even though his contract with the Celtics pays him as though he were. Wallace played a key mentorship role for Gerald Henderson, who re-signed with the ‘Cats this summer on a three-year, $18MM deal.
Northwest Notes: Garrett, Durant, Wiggins
After recapping the Wolves offseason earlier today, let’s take a look at some links out of the Northwest Division..
- New Jazz guard Diante Garrett made one heck of a first impression in his debut on Wednesday night, writes Jody Genessy of the Deseret News. The 25-year-old D-League call-up helped lead Utah to a 111-105 over New Orleans on Saturday night.
- Count Thunder star Kevin Durant among those who are impressed with the top talent in the 2014 draft. Durant called Jabari Parker and Andrew Wiggins the “1A” and “1B” players in the class, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo Sports. KD says that Parker is the “real deal” and sees Wiggins as a future All-Star and Hall of Famer.
- While promoting his new book, Jazz legend John Stockton was asked by reporters if he has any plans of returning the organization. “I wouldn’t rule anything out but I’m enjoying what I’m doing,” said the point guard, according to Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune (on Twitter).
Odds & Ends: Kelly, Lakers, Nelson, Davis
Lakers second round pick Ryan Kelly made a strong enough impression on the club to secure a roster spot despite being sidelined for the latter part of the offseason, but there isn’t enough playing time for him on the varsity squad. Earlier today, the Lakers announced that Kelly and forward Elias Harris have been sent down to the Los Angeles D-Fenders. To keep up with all of this year’s D-League assignments, check out Hoops Rumors’ running list for 2013/14. Here’s more from around the Association..
- This season Jameer Nelson is one of seven veterans with playoff experience on a Magic roster that includes eight players who are in their third NBA season or fewer, writes jessica Camerato of HoopsWorld.
- Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel contends that Glen Davis‘ latest off-court incident “killed” his trade value, and Schmitz wonders whether the Magic will hold Davis out of games for the entire season.
- A prominent online betting site has Wizards coach Randy Wittman at 2/1 odds for being the first NBA coach to get fired, tweets Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com.. Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni is handicapped at 12/1 odds for being the first to get the heave-ho.
- Zach Lowe of Grantland took an in-depth look at Lance Stephenson and the impact that he has had on the Pacers. There’s strong mutual interest in hammering out a new deal in Indiana and that could spell the end of Danny Granger‘s tenure there.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Bulls, Davis, Wolters
Parity has been the story of the first two weeks of the NBA season in the Eastern Conference. Outside of the 8-0 Pacers and the 5-3 Heat, every single team in the East has between two and four wins, and none are separated from the rest by more than two games. If the Knicks make good on James Dolan’s promise of a win tonight in Atlanta, there are scenarios in which Indiana and Miami will be the only Eastern teams above .500 tomorrow. While we look forward to a busy slate of games tonight, let’s check in on a few items out of the East….
- According to Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, the Knicks considered signing Louis Amundson before the veteran big man joined the Pelicans, but ultimately decided to pass.
- The Bulls don’t have a shortage of trade chips, but the safe money says they won’t cash in and make a major trade this season, says Nick Friedell of ESPNChicago.com.
- In today’s NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler explores Glen Davis‘ trade value, and how it was (or wasn’t) affected by a recent off-court incident.
- The No. 38 pick used to select Nate Wolters was involved in a pair of draft-night deals, and while Wolters never thought he was headed to Washington, he briefly thought he’d be a Sixer rather than a Buck, as he tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com.
- The Nets have re-assigned Tornike Shengelia to the Springfield Armor, the club announced today in a press release. It’s already Shengelia’s third D-League assignment of the season.
Odds & Ends: Wizards, Pelicans, Nash
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis has said he expects his club to be a “playoff-caliber team” this year, but today he backtracked from the notion that the Wizards face an ultimatum of making the postseason, observes Joseph White of The Associated Press.
“Playoffs or bust, what does that mean?” Leonsis said in an interview that also touched on his ownership of the NHL’s Capitals. “Shut the team down if we don’t make the playoffs for the Wizards? We would certainly, if we don’t make the playoffs, for both teams we would do our due diligence in a more hypersensitive manner, right? Because we didn’t meet our expectations. But the team’s not going bust. The fan base isn’t going bust. It would just heighten the scrutiny that we have to do.”
The Wizards, with GM Ernie Grunfeld and coach Randy Wittman on expiring contracts, fell to 2-5 with tonight’s loss to the Mavericks. Here’s more from around the NBA:
- Pelicans coach Monty Williams said the team had been considering signing Josh Childress and Louis Amundson for weeks, but he called their additions today “nothing to write home about” and said “we’re just taking a look” at the veterans, notes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com (Twitter link).
- Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni rolled his eyes at the suggestion that Steve Nash should retire, according to Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, and Marc Stein of ESPN.com points to Nash’s determination to overcome his injury and continue playing.
- The Knicks plan to send Chris Smith to their D-League affiliate once the season starts next week, as Marc Berman of the New York Post writes within a piece highlighting the Knicks’ woes.
- Kevin Martin‘s shooting has been a boon for the Wolves, and the free agent pickup feels he’s benefited just as much from his pairing with Kevin Love, as Bruce Brothers of the St. Paul Pioneer Press observes. “After playing with Kevin (Durant) and Russell (Westbrook), guys that can score 30 in their sleep, I wouldn’t go to another team without a superstar,” Martin said. “That’s what I have in Kevin Love.”
- RealGM’s Andrew Perna examines the learning curve for Bucks first-round pick Giannis Antetokounmpo, still just 18 years old and adjusting to life outside of his native Greece.