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Southwest Notes: Parker, Pelicans, Selden, Mavs

March 20th, 2017 at 10:16pm CST by Milo Taibi

Tony Parker spoke about his role on the Spurs with Jabari Young of MySanAntonio.com, saying he’s “blessed” to still have fun playing the game.

“Guys have worse (injuries); you know? Knees, Achilles, stuff like that,” Parker said. “I’ve been playing for 16 years. All season long for the Spurs, and then all summer internationally. And the way I play, with speed and going into the trees (the paint), getting hit so many times and going to the ground so many times, I feel very blessed to still be out there.”

Parker realizes his limitations at 34 years old, unable to fill the stat sheet the way he did in 2008/09, when he averaged 22 PPG with 6.9 APG. Nevertheless, Parker occupies an important spot in Gregg Popovich‘s rotation, and will be relied upon as San Antonio continues its march toward the postseason.

“It obviously helps if I play well,” said Parker. “I love it. I think the evolution in anybody’s career is, as you get older, you have to adjust to who is the main guys on your team. Try to be a factor just like Manu (Ginobili) did. Just like Timmy (Duncan] did. I just try and do the same thing.”

More from around the Southwest…

  • Having now won four of their last five, the Pelicans are starting to gel offensively, William Guillory of NOLA.com writes. The Pels have reason for optimism following their winning stretch, but must keep up their pace with only 12 games left in the regular season. “When all three of us are playing well like that, we’re tough to beat,” said Anthony Davis, referring to himself, DeMarcus Cousins, and Jrue Holiday. “Guys are stepping up and making big plays, especially at the right time. Guys are doing things that we need them to do. I just feel like we’re gelling and clicking at the right time.”
  • Grizzlies coach David Fizdale told Ronald Tillery of The Commercial Appeal that Memphis’ signing of Wayne Selden was a result of Chandler Parsons‘ season-ending injury. Selden, who had most recently received NBA minutes with the Pelicans, was signed to a multiyear contract.
  • While there’s no “magic wand” to fix the Mavericks‘ problems, there are adjustments Rick Carlisle can make, Eddie Sefko of The Dallas News writes. “Philly’s a team you can learn from,” Carlisle said of Dallas’ recent blowout loss to the Sixers. “They win their games on sheer persistence and hard play. And that’s what’s gotten us wins when we’ve been successful over the last two months. We took a pretty significant step back last night. We watched film. We saw the nightmare of last night. It’s pretty clear we’ve got to adjust our disposition. And we’ve got to move the ball better.”
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Poll: No. 8 Seed In Western Conference

March 20th, 2017 at 11:21am CST by Luke Adams

For most of the 2016/17 season, seven Western Conference teams have comfortably held postseason positions. The Warriors and Spurs have led the pack, followed by the Rockets, with the Jazz, Clippers, Thunder, and Grizzlies rounding out the top seven. The order those teams finish in has yet to be determined, but none of them are in danger of losing their playoff spots.

That leaves just one open spot for Western Conference teams vying for playoff contention, and the battle for the No. 8 seed has been an interesting one. With one or two exceptions, virtually every team in the bottom of the Western standings has been viewed as a viable candidate for that final postseason spot at some point since October — even the last-place Lakers created a little buzz when they opened the season with a 10-10 record before falling off significantly.

At this point, two teams look like top contenders for that No. 8 seed, and those two clubs actually completed a trade with one another just last month. The Nuggets and Trail Blazers swapped Mason Plumlee for Jusuf Nurkic in February, and those players have thrived with their new teams, helping to position them for a run at the West’s No. 8 seed. Both teams have been among the NBA’s best so far in March — Denver currently holds a one game lead over Portland with 13 to play, but the Blazers have won three games in a row and have a favorable schedule down the stretch.

Ultimately, it might not matter much which team claims the No. 8 spot — neither the Nuggets nor the Blazers is a serious threat to upset the top-ranked Warriors (or Spurs). Still, either club could at least make things a little interesting in round one as a frisky underdog, given how well they’ve been playing as of late.

What do you think? Will it be the Nuggets or the Blazers in that No. 8 spot at the end of the regular season? Or will another Western team – such as the Mavericks, Pelicans, or Timberwolves – sneak into that final spot with a hot streak in the season’s final weeks?

Which team will claim the No. 8 seed in the West?
Portland Trail Blazers 45.15% (452 votes)
Denver Nuggets 35.36% (354 votes)
Another team 19.48% (195 votes)
Total Votes: 1,001

Trade Rumors app users, click here to vote.

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Pelicans Sign Quinn Cook To 10-Day Contract

March 19th, 2017 at 3:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

March 19, 3:02pm: The Pelicans formally announced their signing of Quinn Cook to a 10-day contract (Twitter link).

March 18, 4:34pm: The Pelicans will sign point guard Quinn Cook to a 10-day contract, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

Cook, who completed a 10-day deal with Dallas last week, had been in training camp with New Orleans but was waived before the season started. The former Duke guard made a positive impression on Pelicans GM Dell Demps with his preseason performance, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate.

Cook has been playing for the D-League’s Canton Charge since leaving the Mavericks. He got into five games with Dallas, averaging 5.4 points in 15.4 minutes per game.

The Pelicans can fit Cook into the roster opening that occurred when Wayne Selden‘s 10-day contract expired last night. Selden inked a multi-year contract with the Grizzlies earlier today.

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And-Ones: Ball, G. Allen, H. Thompson, Fultz

March 17th, 2017 at 8:49pm CST by Milo Taibi

Sam Amick of USA Today raises concerns of LaVar Ball’s impact on Lonzo Ball‘s draft stock. A potential No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft, Lonzo’s elite skill-set has overshadowed his father’s “controversial style” thus far.

“Passing on the kid because of the father may not hold up well over time,” one anonymous executive told Amick. “There are players who come from more challenging family situations who have (done) quite well in the NBA,” another executive added.

Most likely, Amick concludes, LaVar can continue making brash, boastful statements “without the slightest fear” of it hurting Lonzo’s NBA future.

More from around the game…

  • Grayson Allen doesn’t regret returning to Duke for his junior year, Jeff Goodman of ESPN writes. While Allen would have been a first-round pick after his sophomore season, his stock has dipped to mid-second-round value after this year. “I knew with the decision I made, once I made it, I was going to live with it,” Allen said. “Obviously, I haven’t had the season I’d like to have. A lot of things out of my control happened. I didn’t know I was going to get injured three games into the year, reinjured later and all stuff happen in the middle…I didn’t come back for personal goals, I came back to be in the spot I am right now and trying to make another run for a national championship, and I’m still able to do that.”
  • After spending the duration of two 10-day contracts with the Pelicans, Hollis Thompson has returned to the D-League with the Austin Spurs, Chris Reichert of The Step Back reports (Tweet). Thompson had scored just 11 points over his last five games with the Pelicans.
  • The HoopsHype staff produced their latest NBA mock draft, with Markelle Fultz taking the No. 1 spot (article link). Regarding Fultz, HoopsHype wrote “no prospect in this draft is perfect, and Fultz remains on top of most scouts boards as the premiere prospect available,” before comparing him to James Harden.
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NBA D-League Assignments/Recalls: 3/17/17

March 17th, 2017 at 4:24pm CST by Milo Taibi

Here are Friday’s D-League assignments and recalls from around the NBA:

  • The Warriors assigned Kevon Looney to Santa Cruz, the team announced on its official website (link). The assignment will allow Looney to soak up minutes against the Texas Legends in tonight’s game. Looney’s presence has been diminished in Steve Kerr’s rotation lately, averaging 5.2 minutes with six DNPs over Golden State’s last 12 games.
  • The Pelicans recalled Cheick Diallo from Greensboro, the team announced on its official website (link). Diallo will be available for tonight’s match-up with the Rockets. Diallo has impressed in the D-League this season, averaging 14 points with 8.2 rebounds over 23 games.
  • The Cavs assigned Larry Sanders to the Canton Charge, where he’ll be available for tomorrow’s game against the Windy City Bulls (press release). Sanders will likely have a one-game assignment, as the Charge don’t play again until the 23rd after Saturday’s game. While Sanders is expected to bolster Cleveland’s playoff run, he’s still a bit of a project after sitting out the entire 2015/16 season.
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Cousins' Latest Technical Rescinded

March 16th, 2017 at 10:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Clippers coach and team president Doc Rivers indicated there’s a 50-50 chance he’ll bring in another player in the near future, Bill Oram of the Orange County Register reports. The player could come from the D League or from the buyout market, Oram continues, and would require the club to waive someone from the current 15-man roster. Forward Omri Casspi, who was bought out by the Pelicans, isn’t a likely target despite a recent report that the Clippers had an interest in him, Oram adds.“We’re looking at everything,” Rivers told Oram.

  • The NBA rescinded the latest technical assessed to Pelicans center DeMarcus Cousins, sources told ESPN.com’s Justin Verrier. The technical, which he was given during a loss to Miami on Wednesday, would have been his 19th this season. He will receive his third one-game suspension this season from the league if he reaches the 20-technical mark.
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Pelicans Re-Sign Jordan Crawford

March 16th, 2017 at 6:48pm CST by Luke Adams

6:22pm: The team confirmed in a press release that Crawford has been signed through the end of the season.

2:50pm: The second year of Crawford’s new contract will be non-guaranteed, tweets Scott Kushner of The Advocate.

1:38pm: Rather than signing a second 10-day contract with the Pelicans, Crawford has agreed to sign a two-year deal with the team, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical (via Twitter). It’s not yet clear what kind of salary guarantees – if any – would be included for 2017/18.

10:30am: Jordan Crawford‘s first 10-day contract with the Pelicans has come to an end, but he’s expected to sign a second 10-day deal with the team, sources tell Justin Verrier of ESPN.com (Twitter link). New Orleans isn’t in action tonight, so the club will have until Friday’s game against Houston to get Crawford locked up to a new deal.

Few players on 10-day contracts make the sort of impact that Crawford has during his first week and a half with the Pelicans. The 28-year-old has assumed a key role off the bench for New Orleans, averaging 14.2 PPG and 3.2 APG in five games (23.4 MPG). A career .405 shooter (.306 on threes) prior to this season, Crawford has been scorching hot in his return to the NBA, with a .509 FG% and .519 3PT%.

The Pelicans, with 12 players on guaranteed contracts, had been carrying three guards on 10-day pacts to fill out their 15-man roster. Wayne Selden‘s deal hasn’t yet expired, and Crawford will be brought back, leaving just one open roster spot — Hollis Thompson‘s second 10-day contract expired this week, and he wasn’t re-signed by the club.

Assuming Crawford finalizes a new 10-day contract with the Pelicans today or tomorrow, that deal will expire later this month, at which point the team will have to decide whether or not to retain him for the season.

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Pelicans Consider Replacing Gentry, Demps

March 15th, 2017 at 5:52pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Pelicans will need “significant progress” over the final four weeks of the season to save coach Alvin Gentry’s job, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.

The organization is more likely to keep GM Dell Demps, but that isn’t guaranteed, Deveney adds.

The Pelicans were considered favorites to grab the West’s final playoff spot after the February 20th trade that brought DeMarcus Cousins to New Orleans. However, the team has gone just 4-6 since the deal and sits five games behind Denver with 15 left to play.

A scout tells Deveney “the writing is on the wall” concerning Gentry’s future, but management isn’t demanding a playoff appearance for him and Demps to stick around. The front office understands that a transition period was necessary for Cousins and Anthony Davis to get used to playing together and to change from an up-tempo strategy to a twin towers approach. Cousins is averaging 20.9 points per game in New Orleans, down from 27.8 with the Kings, and his shooting percentage has dropped from 45.1 to 42.1.

Working in Gentry’s favor may be a lack of proven talent in the coaching market. The team is believed to want someone to serve as both a coach and team president, and there may not be anyone available who has merited that dual role.

Gentry, who has one year left on his contract at $3.3MM, faced similar rumors early in the season. A November 13th report said it might be a matter of days until a coaching change after the Pelicans started the season 1-9. However, Gentry was able to get the team on the edge of the playoff race and save his job, at least temporarily.

Gentry has a 57-92 record in nearly two seasons on the Pelicans’ bench, and the team has made the playoffs just once in Demps’ five seasons as GM.

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Hollis Thompson Back On Free Agent Market

March 15th, 2017 at 10:45am CST by Luke Adams

Hollis Thompson‘s second 10-day contract with the Pelicans expired overnight, giving the team the option of either locking him up for the season or letting him go. According to Scott Kushner of The Advocate (via Twitter), New Orleans has decided against signing Thompson for the remainder of the season, meaning he’ll return to the free agent market.

Thompson, who turns 26 next month, appeared in nine games during his 20 days with the Pelicans, starting eight of those games. However, he struggled mightily with his shot, making just 11 of 41 attempts from the field. Thompson’s shooting percentages in New Orleans (.268 overall, .250 on threes) represented a significant step down from his career averages in Philadelphia (.417/.389).

Assuming Thompson doesn’t catch on with another NBA team right away, there’s a good chance he’ll rejoin the Austin Spurs, his team prior to his stint with the Pelicans. The 6’8″ swingman would remain an NBA free agent even if he headed back to San Antonio’s D-League affiliate.

Having paired DeMarcus Cousins with Anthony Davis in their frontcourt in a trade that cost them three guards, the Pelicans have been looking for ball-handlers and shooters to fill out their rotation, experimenting with a number of players on 10-day contracts. The club initially signed Jarrett Jack and Reggie Williams along with Thompson, but none of those players are on the roster anymore.

Currently, New Orleans is carrying Jordan Crawford and Wayne Selden on 10-day deals, with one newly-opened spot on the team’s 15-man roster.

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Casspi Cleared To Play, Talking With Contenders

March 14th, 2017 at 10:11am CST by Arthur Hill

Less than three weeks after breaking his right thumb, Omri Casspi has received medical clearance to “resume basketball activities,” tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com.

Casspi suffered the injury in his first game with the Pelicans after being traded from the Kings as part of the DeMarcus Cousins deal. New Orleans waived Casspi to open a roster spot rather than wait for him to heal. Casspi’s original prognosis put his recovery time at four to six weeks.

Now a free agent, Casspi has been contacted by several contending teams, according to Stein, who names the Clippers and Grizzlies among them (Twitter link). Memphis may need to find a replacement for Chandler Parsons, who could be shut down for the rest of the season with a partial meniscus tear in his left knee.

Casspi played just 22 games with Sacramento before the deal, averaging 5.9 points and 4.1 rebounds per night. He missed more than a month in January and February with a strained plantaris tendon in his right calf.

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