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Odds & Ends: Dwight, Bulls, Deron

September 19th, 2013 at 10:50pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Amidst the buzz surrounding the 2013 Basketball Hall of Fame induction a little over a week ago, you may have heard legendary Brazilian basketball player Oscar Schmidt proclaim that he could have been one of the best 10 players ever if he had joined the NBA. In hindsight, it's interesting to ponder some of the 'what ifs' and how they may have altered the landscape and history of the league.

One could think about how the NBA would have been different if Larry Bird didn't fall five spots to the Celtics during the 1978 draft, if Kobe Bryant hadn't fallen to number 13 in 1996, or if Michael Jordan hadn't retired before the 1993/94 season to name a few. Regardless, there are plenty of other possibilities to consider.

Jonathan Abrams of Grantland sheds light on one particular what-could-have-been, chronicling the rise and fall of Korleone Young, a promising 6'7" small forward who like Kobe, Tracy McGrady, and Kevin Garnett before him attempted to make the jump from high school to the NBA in 1998. In his comprehensive piece, Abrams supplements Young's story with commentary from several people who had crossed paths with him along his journey, including Young's prep-school rival Al Harrington, former Pistons head coach Alvin Gentry, and former Pistons assistant (and current Bucks GM) John Hammond, who had this to share based on what he'd seen in practices:

"We used to talk about the way in which (Young) defended (then-star) Grant Hill on a daily basis. We used to say it tongue-in-cheek but [also] somewhat seriously: 'No one defended Grant Hill in this league as well as Korleone Young."

With that aside, let's round up the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links from the NBA:

Sam Amick of USA Today writes about how Dwight Howard has found greener pastures in Houston and why the rest of the NBA will have to lament the reality that another Western Conference contender has been born.
A handful of HoopsWorld panelists put together a season preview of the Bulls for 2013/14. With much of the team's success hinging on how much Derrick Rose can return to form, three writers pick Chicago to finish second in the Central Division, while two have them running away with the division title.
Nets guard Deron Williams was spotted at his charity dodgeball event earlier today with a walking boot over the same ankle that had been giving him problems last season, though he insisted that the boot was just precautionary: “As long as I’m ready (for the season opener), that’s all that matters to me…If it was up to me, I would be playing right now. I can walk fine. It doesn’t hurt. It’s just protecting me from myself” (Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News).
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW says that with Dirk Nowitzki healthy, the Mavericks won't take a backseat to anybody in the league in terms of talent at the power forward position.
Tommy Dee of Ridiculous Upside presents a scouting report of free agent big man Hassan Whiteside, who had recently drawn reported interest from the Knicks, Heat, and Bucks.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside explains why the NBDL will continue to develop front office executives at a much more efficient rate than players at this point, mentioning that while prospective staffers can work to rise up the ranks while committed to a specific NBA franchise, the players can be called up at anytime and by any NBA team regardless of D-League affiliation.
HoopsWorld's Moke Hamilton held his weekly chat with readers earlier this evening, offering his thoughts on why he thinks the Knicks will repeat as Atlantic Division champions, why teams might be shying away from Renaldo Balkman, the Western Conference playoff race, and the Warriors' ceiling among other topics.
Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com continues his countdown of reasons why New Orleans fans should be excited about training camp, placing the offseason progress made by the team's quartet of sophomores – namely Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers, Brian Roberts, and Darius Miller – at number 13.

Free Agent Notes: Wiz, Byars, Powell

September 18th, 2013 at 6:31pm CST by Alex Lee

Despite news that Emeka Okafor is out indefinitely with a herniated disc and Chris Singleton will undergo surgery today, the Wizards cannot guarantee money to any free agents to replace them (without letting go of someone else on a guaranteed contract by opening night), tweets NBA.com's David Aldridge. Washington already has 15 guaranteed deals on their roster, including Okafor and Singleton, but as Aldridge points out (via Twitter), a trade is always possible. CSN Washington's J. Michael confirms Aldridge's report, via Twitter, adding that the Wizards are likely to bring two or three other players to camp in addition to the 15.

Let's take a look at some other free agent notes from around the league:

In his latest piece for HoopsWorld, Lang Greene examines a number of unsigned NBA veterans who are still looking for work, including Richard Hamilton, Tyrus Thomas, and Stephen Jackson.
Memphis native and former Spur Derrick Byars is set to work out for the Grizzlies this week, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports (via Twitter). Spears adds that the Knicks also have some interest.
Josh Powell has worked out with New Orleans for a second time, tweets Jorge Sierra of HoopsHype. The Pelicans, who expect to add more players to their camp roster, auditioned Powell last month.

Pelicans Expect To Add More Players Before Camp

September 18th, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

The Pelicans currently have 15 players on their roster, but the team doesn't intend to head into training camp with only those players under contract. GM Dell Demps tells Nakia Hogan of the New Orleans Times-Picayune that, while no major moves are expected, the Pelicans are eyeing additional players.

"I think we will probably add a couple of guys before camp," Demps said. "Coach [Monty] Williams and I, we talked about it…. We'll probably add more guys for training camp with the opportunity to make the team."

As I explained last week, NBA teams are permitted to carry up to 20 players during the offseason. However, the roster must be reduced to a maximum of 15 players by opening night. Although they have 15 players under contract, the Pelicans only have 13 players on guaranteed deals, which means camp invitees could compete for the 14th and 15th roster spots. Lance Thomas and Arinze Onuaku occupy those last two spots for now, but Thomas only has a small guarantee on his deal, while Onuaku's contract is fully non-guaranteed.

It's not clear yet exactly which players will join the Pelicans in camp, but the team has reportedly worked out or expressed interest in a number of players over the last few weeks, including Hamed Haddadi, Earl Barron, Josh Powell, Josh Childress, Reyshawn Terry, and James Nunnally.

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New Orleans Pelicans

Odds & Ends: Pelicans, Grizzlies, Miller, D-League

September 16th, 2013 at 9:20pm CST by Zachary Links

We started the day off here at Hoops Rumors with some very pleasant news as Rick Adelman is confirmed to return to the sidelines as Timberwolves coach this season. The T-Wolves haven’t been to the postseason in nearly a decade, but there’s plenty of reason to believe that this will be the year that they break through. Here’s tonight’s look around the Association..

The Pelicans added a whole bunch of talent this offseason and with that comes dramatically increased expectations, writes Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans will start alongside Eric Gordon, Anthony Davis and Ryan Anderson with Brian Roberts, Al-Farouq Aminu, Austin Rivers, Anthony Morrow, Jason Smith, Greg Stiemsma and Jeff Withey off the bench, giving the 27-win team some serious playoff buzz.
Andrew Ford of Sheridan Hoops runs down five things to watch when it comes to the Grizzlies this season. One of the keys for Memphis will be Mike Miller and it’ll be interesting to see if the returning veteran can hold up enough to make an impact. The 33-year-old has dealt with a litany of health issues in recent years and was let go via the amensty provision by Miami this summer.
Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside ran down what we can expect out of this year’s D-League tryouts and even some tips for how the participants can impress scouts.

Odds & Ends: Nunnally, Kirilenko, Brownlee, Rocks

September 16th, 2013 at 4:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

D-Leaguer James Nunnally's name has come up in connection with a handful of NBA teams of late, having drawn the attention of the Spurs, Jazz, Suns and Pelicans. The Grizzlies may be most intrigued by the 6'7" swingman out of UC-Santa Barbara, as they've invited him to camp, reports Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside. Still it doesn't sound like Nunnally has accepted that invitation yet, as he'll work as scheduled out this week for Utah and New Orleans. Here's more from this afternoon in the NBA:

An NBA investigation into Andrei Kirilenko's discount contract with the Nets has cleared the team of any wrongdoing, a source tells Fred Kerber of the New York Post. Complaints from at least one other team triggered the probe.
The Knicks are thinking of inviting small forward Justin Brownlee to camp after watching him play for their summer league squad this year. The 25-year-old from St. John's will work out for the team this week, tweets Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com.
Agent Burton Rocks tells Hoops Rumors that the players union has certified him and his Burton Rocks LTD firm, which boasts a dozen baseball clients, as the MLB Trade Rumors Agency Database shows. Rocks is breaking into hoops by repping former Stony Brook standout Muhammed El-Amin.
Villanova assistant coach Billy Lange has turned down the Rockets' offer to become the head coach of their D-League affiliate, but he's considering a job with the Sixers, reports Dana O'Neil of ESPN.com.
The Grizzlies traded for Kosta Koufos this summer, and they've coveted the former Nuggets big man for more than a year, as TNT's David Aldridge writes as he hits on a wide range of subjects for his weekly NBA.com column.
Forbes today published its list of the 400 wealthiest Americans, and Trail Blazers owner Paul Allen leads all sports owners in net worth, notes Darren Rovell of ESPN.com.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com examines some of the data teams will be able to use under the league's new SportVU camera deal.

Western Notes: Grizzlies, Joerger, Thunder, Ellis

September 15th, 2013 at 8:29pm CST by Zachary Links

A first-time coach could be an obstacle in the early season, but Grizzlies management is convinced the team will quickly gain chemistry with Dave Joerger, who was an assistant coach under Lionel Hollins. “You have to start rebuilding your momentum and re-creating your roles and we have a number of new faces,” GM Chris Wallace told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “Because of the personnel and the dynamics of the organization, you hope that his transition is looser than if an outside person came in.” Here's more from the Western Conference..

Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman has some questions to ponder before training camp opens for the Thunder. One of the big question marks for OKC is whether Jeremy Lamb is ready to step up and contribute. The youngster will be called upon to be a big contributor after the Thunder let Kevin Martin go this summer.
Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News sizes the Mavericks' Monta Ellis against ten other top shooting guards in the league over the last six seasons, based on scoring average. The Mavs gave Ellis a three-year, $28MM deal this offseason after missing out on some more ambitious free agent targets.
Anthony Davis' cousin, Keith Chamberlain, was among 34 players trying out for the Pelicans' D-League affiliate this weekend, according to Jim Eichenhofer of NBA.com.

Contract Details: Warriors, Lakers, Davies, Lockett

September 12th, 2013 at 12:29pm CST by Luke Adams

Most of the contracts being signed these days are non-guaranteed and worth the minimum salary, essentially amounting to make-good deals for camp. However, a few players who recently joined NBA clubs received modest guarantees, ensuring they'll make some money whether or not they earn a roster spot. Mark Deeks of ShamSports.com has the details, so let's round them up….

The Warriors will pay partial guarantees to two recent signees, Seth Curry and DeWayne Dedmon. Both players inked one-year rookie minimum contracts, but Curry received the larger guarantee — $75K to Dedmon's $25K.
The Lakers guaranteed $100K of Shawne Williams' one-year, minimum-salary deal.
Brandon Davies' two-year deal with the Clippers is partially guaranteed for $50K in 2013/14.
Trent Lockett's two-year contract with the Kings is currently guaranteed for $35K, but he can increase that amount by earning a spot on the team's regular-season roster. Lockett's guarantee will become $100K if he's not waived by opening night, and if he keeps a roster spot all year, his 2014/15 salary will become guaranteed for $100K on the last day of the '13/14 season.
The Pelicans cut Lance Thomas in July to clear cap space for their new additions, then re-signed him to a new deal. Thomas received a guarantee of $15K for his trouble — his previous contract had been fully non-guaranteed.

Hamed Haddadi Weighing NBA, Overseas Offers

September 12th, 2013 at 8:52am CST by Luke Adams

Free agent center Hamed Haddadi is still looking for work for the 2013/14 season, and is currently mulling offers from teams in the NBA and China, according to Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com (via Twitter). I would guess that Haddadi's offers from CBA teams include more assurances when it comes to role and salary, whereas NBA interest may be limited to camp invites.

Haddadi, 28, has been linked primarily to the Knicks since being released by the Suns in June, with several reports indicating that New York had interest in the big man. The most recent story, earlier this month, suggested the Knicks' interest had dissipated, but that report came a couple days before Jeremy Tyler underwent foot surgery, which may have put the club back in the market for a center. Haddadi also reportedly worked out for the Pelicans.

The Grizzlies and Raptors both included Haddadi in trades prior to the deadline last season, with the five-year veteran ultimately ending up in Phoenix. He finished the year strong, averaging 4.1 PPG and 5.1 RPG in just 13.8 MPG in 17 contests for the Suns. A month ago, when I examined the remaining free agents with the best rebounding numbers, Haddadi ranked atop the list.

Pacific Notes: Buss, Lakers, Nunnally, Kings

September 11th, 2013 at 1:25pm CST by Luke Adams

Many Lakers fans have been skeptical about executive vice president Jim Buss assuming a decision-making role in the organization previously held by his late father, Jerry Buss. But Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com writes that Jim had gained the trust of his father, and that the two men worked together in making decisions like the hiring of Mike D'Antoni, who they felt was a better fit than Phil Jackson. Shelburne's piece includes plenty of interesting tidbits and quotes from Buss, who adds that he'd be "all for it" if Jackson wanted to work with the Lakers on a consultant basis.

Here's more from around the Pacific Division:

In an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com, Bradford Doolittle proposes a few steps for rebuilding the Lakers, including re-signing Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol next summer, trading Steve Nash, and keeping their 2014 first-round pick.
Sources indicate to Henry Abbott of ESPN.com that the Lakers could have trouble attracting impact free agents next summer, in part because it's not clear how much cap space the team will have, and in part because of Kobe's reputation as a difficult teammate.
Yesterday, we heard that free agent swingman James Nunnally would work out for the Spurs and Jazz. Today, Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside adds a couple more teams to the mix, writing that Nunnally will also audition for the Suns, as well as the Pelicans, in the hopes of earning a camp invite.
Without the petition signatures that Chris Hansen's money was able to buy, there's not much momentum left for the anti-arena effort in Sacramento, according to Marcos Breton of the Sacramento Bee.

Western Notes: Barea, Blazers, Rockets, Gibson

September 3rd, 2013 at 4:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Earlier in the day, we rounded up several items out of the Pacific Division. Now, let's shift our focus to the West's other two divisions, with a few links relating to Southwest and Northwest teams….

J.J. Barea tells Gonzalo Aguirregomezcorta of ESPNDeportes.com that while he wouldn't be opposed to returning to the Mavericks eventually, he's not looking to change addresses anytime soon. "I'm happy in Minnesota," Barea said. "They're the ones that wanted me there, the ones that signed me for four years, so until they decide to trade me, I'm going to give them all my effort in the games."
The Trail Blazers aren't looking to trade LaMarcus Aldridge and he's looking forward to playing with the new-look roster, but if the team's season gets off to a slow start, it's worth keeping a close on Portland's situation, according to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
Lance Thomas was grateful for the opportunity to re-sign with the Pelicans after the team released him in July, as he tells Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com.
The Rockets had some interest in free agent guard Daniel Gibson at one point, but don't anymore, tweets Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio.
Bryan Gutierrez of ESPNDallas.com gives the Mavericks a grade of B- for the team's new deal with Bernard James.