Odds & Ends: Trail Blazers, Przybilla, Warriors
Let's round up a few Tuesday links from around the NBA….
- The Trail Blazers have interviewed agent Noah Croom for their general manager opening, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports. Blazers president Larry Miller didn't confirm that Croom was interviewed, but told Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com that Portland has yet to reach out to any candidates currently with NBA teams.
- Joel Przybilla told Jason Quick of the Oregonian that he plans to play in the NBA next season, but hasn't decided where yet. Przybilla added that he's "had fun" playing with the Blazers and doesn't regret choosing Portland over the Bulls and Heat (Twitter links).
- Warriors assistant coach Michael Malone could draw interest for teams looking for a head coach this offseason, writes Matt Steinmetz of CSNBayArea.com.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) previews this year's Portsmouth Invitational, naming Jet Chang as his sleeper prospect in the tournament.
- The NBA announced today that the Las Vegas Summer League will return to action this July, after having been cancelled due to the lockout last summer.
- The league also announced that the NBA D-League has set new records this season for both assignments and call-ups.
Minor Moves: Chris Wright, Jerome Jordan
We'll track today's notable international and D-League-related transactions right here:
- Chris Wright has been assigned by the Warriors to the D-League's Dakota Wizards, according to a team press release. Golden State recalled Wright for a second time last Wednesday, but he'll head back to Dakota to join the team for its playoff series against the Bakersfield Jam.
- The Knicks have reassigned Jerome Jordan to the Erie BayHawks, their D-League affiliate, according to the team's official Twitter account. New York has previously assigned Jordan to Erie in January and March, so this is the last time this season he can be sent down this year. The BayHawks' season could be nearing its end anyway — they'll face the Austin Toros in the playoffs starting this weekend.
Minor Moves: Wright, Williams, Murray
We'll track the latest international and D-League-related transactions here:
- The Warriors have recalled Chris Wright from their D-League affiliate, according to a team release. Wright had been assigned to the Dakota Wizards on March 24th for the second time this season.
- Sean Williams is rejoining the Texas Legends for the rest of the D-League season, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com. Williams was waived by the Mavericks in March to make room for Kelenna Azubuike, but will return to the team's D-League affiliate, where he spent time earlier this season.
- Former NBA veteran Flip Murray will sign with the D-League's Austin Toros, according to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (via Twitter). Murray played for eight NBA teams in eight seasons, last seeing NBA action with the Bulls in the 2010 playoffs. The 32-year-old averaged 9.9 points in 22.7 minutes per contest over the course of 487 career games.
Atlantic Notes: O’Neal, Garnett, D-League, Davis
The Celtics announced today that Jermaine O'Neal underwent successful surgery on his injured left wrist. And as A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com tweets, all went well with Chris Wilcox's heart surgery yesterday too. Wilcox was waived by the Celtics earlier this month, and Boston could choose to let O'Neal go as well if the team needs to use his roster spot. For now though, the Celtics don't appear to be eyeing any free agents.
Here are a few more Friday afternoon updates out of the Atlantic Division:
- Celtics big man Kevin Garnett appeared on WEEI's Mutt and Merloni show yesterday, and made some interesting comments, as Rich Levine of CSNNE.com writes. "I never wanted to be pieced around, or treated like a pawn, or a piece on the board," Garnett said. "Loyalty in this game has been depleted on both sides. The business of this game is terrible for players. It's all over the place. I have to choose and make a decision to whether to be part of the future of that. I wish players would take more of a stand in our league and understand that it's a player's league." Reading between the lines, Levine surmises that Garnett may have been referring to the lockout, the trade deadline, or both.
- The NBA's D-League has turned into more of a true minor league system and is helping players reach the NBA, writes Jorge Castillo of the Star-Ledger. Castillo's piece is an interesting read, with a focus on the Nets' D-League call-ups, including Gerald Green and Jerry Smith.
- The Knicks' offseason addition of Baron Davis fell under the radar following Jeremy Lin's emergence, but Lin's injury has given Davis a chance to re-enter the spotlight, says Keith Schlosser of the New York Times.
Minor Moves: Leslie, Walker, Williams
We'll track the day's notable international and D-League-related transactions here:
- The Clippers have re-assigned Travis Leslie to their D-League affiliate, the Bakersfield Jam, tweets Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside. It's Leslie's second assignment of the season.
- The D-League's Idaho Stampede will re-sign Antoine Walker today, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The Stampede released Walker last week to allow him to tend to a personal matter, intending to bring him back.
- Former NBA big man Justin Williams will join the D-League's Los Angeles D-Fenders, according to Sam Amick of SI.com (via Twitter). Williams played 49 career NBA games from 2006 to 2008, 48 for the Kings and a single game for the Rockets, averaging 3.4 points and 3.3 rebounds in 9.3 minutes per game.
2011/12 D-League Assignments And Recalls
The relationship NBA teams have to the D-League continues to evolve. It's a far cry from the intricate system of farm teams that baseball has, and the 16-team league has a ways to go before it grows large enough for every NBA team to have an affiliate. Still, in the D-League's 11th year, NBA teams have come to make liberal use of their ability to send players down for seasoning. While the D-League also provides a haven for players seeking NBA contracts, this post focuses on those who already have NBA deals. Here is a team-by-team list of all the in-season D-League assignments and recalls this year.
Bucks
December 28: Send down Darington Hobson
January 4: Call up Darington Hobson
January 18: Send down Darington Hobson
February 1: Call up Darington Hobson
Cavs
January 4: Send down Christian Eyenga
January 23: Call up Christian Eyenga
January 26: Send down Luke Harangody
February 1: Call up Luke Harangody
March 6: Send down Luke Harangody
March 6: Send down Christian Eyenga
March 15: Call up Christian Eyenga
April 14: Call up Luke Harangody
April 15: Send down Luke Harangody
April 18: Call up Luke Harangody
Odds & Ends: Draft, McCollum, Chandler, Magic
As we approach the season's final few weeks, some teams will jockey for playoff spots while clubs on the other end of the spectrum jockey for draft position. Henry Abbott of ESPN.com's TrueHoop writes today about the issue of tanking that inevitably arises at this point in the season, and what can be done to avoid it. The piece is highly recommended, and includes a fascinating tidbit on four general mangers on non-playoff teams who reportedly only put in part-time hours.
Here are a few more links from around the Association for Tuesday afternoon:
- Lehigh guard C.J. McCollum has declared his intent to enter the draft, according to a release from the University's website. McCollum won't hire an agent, so he could still withdraw by April 10th and retain his NCAA eligibility. In his first mock draft, ESPN.com's Chad Ford had McCollum going early in the second round.
- Stephen Litel of HoopsWorld talked to Wilson Chandler and the Nuggets about Chandler's return from China and the team's chances of qualifying for the postseason.
- With a focus on Ryan Anderson and other upcoming free agents, Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida discusses how a player's height affects the sort of contract he signs.
- Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside updates his list of D-League players who could receive auditions from NBA teams over the remainder of the season.
- Magic GM Otis Smith sat down for a question-and-answer session with Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
Minor Moves: McCants, Walker, Caracter
We'll track today's notable international and D-League-related transactions here:
- After playing just one game for Piratas de Quebradillas in Puerto Rico, Rashad McCants was waived, according to Sportando. McCants is hoping his play in Puerto Rico will help propel an NBA comeback, but he's now been waived twice this week.
- The D-League's Idaho Stampede have waived another comeback-hopeful, Antoine Walker, tweets Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports. The team needed to add a player to the roster using Walker's spot while he tends to personal matters, says Spears. The Stampede could add Walker back to the roster this weekend (Twitter link).
- Derrick Caracter has been waived by the D-League's Rio Grande Valley Vipers, adds Spears. Caracter, who played 41 games for the Lakers last year, was waived this year before his contract became guaranteed for the season.
Warriors Sign Mickell Gladness
The Warriors have officially signed Mickell Gladness to a 10-day contract, according to a team release. The Warriors reportedly had been set to sign J.J. Hickson, but the forward was unexpectedly claimed by Portland before he could clear waivers.
Gladness, 25, signed a pair of 10-day contracts with the Heat this season, appearing in eight games for Miami. Over the last three seasons, he has played mostly in the D-League, averaging 4.6 PPG and 3.8 RPG in 81 career D-League contests.
Scott Schroeder of RidiculousUpside.com first reported that the Warriors would sign Gladness.
Southwest Notes: Arenas, Camby, Smith, Mills
Here's the latest out of the Southwest, the only division in the NBA that would send four teams to the playoffs if the season ended today:
- Gilbert Arenas, recently signed by the Grizzlies, spoke to Ronald Tillery of the Memphis Commercial Appeal about a number of topics in a lengthy interview. Arenas says that in addition to the Grizzlies and Lakers, the Hawks and Nets also had interest in him.
- Another new addition, Marcus Camby, brings "a different vibe" to the Rockets, coach Kevin McHale told Joseph Duarte of the Houston Chronicle.
- The Rockets assigned Greg Smith to their D-League affiliate yesterday, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston.
- Tim Griffin of the San Antonio Express-News noticed the Spurs listed a "Mills" as one of their inactive players on the official scoresheet for last night's game, and wonders if the team has finalized its rumored deal with Patrick Mills.