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Odds & Ends: Iverson, Lin, Green, Kaman, Heat

February 7th, 2012 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

A few late-morning links for Tuesday:

A Puerto Rican source told Sportando (Twitter link) that it's hard to picture Allen Iverson playing in Puerto Rico, since "no teams [are] looking for that kind of player." We heard yesterday that Iverson was drawing interest from Puerto Rico's professional league.
Newest Knicks starter Jeremy Lin was a candidate to be waived as recently as last week and would have considered playing overseas had that happened, writes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv.
Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside thinks Gerald Green should get a shot at an NBA roster on a 10-day contract. I mentioned Green on Friday when I looked at a few notable former NBA players in the D-League.
By not playing Chris Kaman when they were shopping him, the Hornets subtracted one of their few resources, says John DeShazier of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
ESPN.com's Chad Ford (Insider link) polled NBA scouts, asking which college freshmen would be better off staying at college for their sophomore seasons. Andre Drummond and Austin Rivers were among the players named.
Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel fields Heat-related questions in a mailbag.

Odds & Ends: Lin, Billups, Williams, Kaman

February 6th, 2012 at 11:16pm CST by Daniel Seco

Lakers star Kobe Bryant eclipsed former teammate Shaquille O'Neal as the fifth all-time leading scorer in NBA history as he put up 28 points in a 95-90 loss to the 76ers. Personal records aside, Kobe's main focus remains on securing a sixth championship ring which is becoming increasingly difficult as the Lakers dropped to 14-11 on the season, with nine of those losses coming on the road. Let's take a look around the league on what was a busy Monday night for the NBA.

Jeremy Lin scored 28 points in his first start for the Knicks this evening in a 99-88 victory over the Utah Jazz. Lin, 23, wouldn't have even received this opportunity if Baron Davis' recovery had stayed on track, tweets NBA.com's Scott Howard-Cooper. With his strong performances of late, Lin is nearly assured of his contract becoming guaranteed on Friday.
Isiah Thomas' career came to an end thanks to an Achilles injury against Orlando back in 1994, says Pistons beat writer Vincent Goodwill (via Twitter). A similar fate may hold true for Chauncey Billups who left Monday's game against the Magic in the fourth quarter with what may be a left Achilles tear.
If Billups' injury turns out to be as severe as predicted, Clippers GM Neil Olshey should be commended for his decision to not shop Mo Williams even when his team's roster was overloaded with point guards.
Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune describes the Hornets' decision to return Chris Kaman to the active roster as a way to build a highlight-reel in order to improve trade offers. In his first game back with the Hornets, Kaman, 29, scored 10 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and made two blocks in a 100-92 loss to the Kings.

Southwest Notes: Kaman, Barea, Rockets, Hornets

February 6th, 2012 at 6:02pm CST by Daniel Seco

Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki doesn't feel his performance this season warrants a selection to the 2012 NBA All-Star Game in Orlando. Nowitzki, 33, is averaging 17.2 PPG and 6 RPG for a Dallas squad that is underachieving with a 14-11 record this season. If tapped to represent the Western Conference, Nowitzki would be making his 11th consecutive All-Star appearance. Let's take a look around the league to see what else is happening in the Southwest Division:

Chris Kaman was completely understanding when the Hornets shut him down last month in an attempt to find a trade suitor, writes Jimmy Smith of The Times-Picayune. Kaman, 29, returned to the team on Sunday morning for practice as the Hornets conceded that they were unable to finalize a deal.
Life after winning a championship with the Mavericks in June has not been easy for Timberwolves guard J.J. Barea. According to The Dallas Morning News, Barea, 27, blames his low FG% (.367) and 2.4 APG on a series of hamstring injuries that has led to the sixth-year player missing 15 games this season.
Rockets beat writer Jonathan Feigen suggests the team is comfortable pursuing a championship with superstar-less squad similar to the Nuggets. While a star-free locker room may do wonders for team chemistry, the Rockets should take note that only two teams have ever won a championship without an All-NBA player.
While the Hornets have struggled this season with the worst record in the Western Conference (4-20), Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com points to three bright spots for the league-owned franchise moving forward.

Hornets Sign Lance Thomas To 10-Day Contract

February 6th, 2012 at 11:41am CST by Michael Pina

The Hornets have officially signed Lance Thomas to a 10-day contract, the team announced today. The 23-year-old Thomas participated in New Orleans' training camp earlier this year, and was waived on December 31st.

Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune first reported that the team would sign Thomas to serve as a replacement for Carl Landry, who announced Sunday that he's suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. Landry's injury could have a significant impact on the Hornets going forward, as Sean Highkin of Hoops Rumors wrote yesterday.

Today marks the first day of the season that teams can sign players to 10-day contracts. For an idea of what other players could sign 10-day contracts in the near future, and a refresher on how these deals work, check out our 10-day contract primer.

How Landry’s Sprained MCL Affects The Hornets

February 5th, 2012 at 6:49pm CST by Sean Highkin

New Orleans forward Carl Landry announced via Twitter that he has suffered a Grade 2 MCL sprain. The injury is expected to keep him out for several weeks, and is likely to have a significant impact on moves the Hornets make in the coming weeks.

The Hornets will sign Lance Thomas to a 10-day contract on Monday as a short-term fix, it was reported earlier today.

More importantly, Landry's injury makes the prospect of New Orleans trading center Chris Kaman even more unlikely. After Kaman was shelved by the Hornets until they found a trading partner, it was reported that the Pacers and Rockets were pursuing the veteran center aggressively.

However, on Friday the Hornets appeared to take Kaman off the market. Landry's injury leaves New Orleans in need of frontcourt help, making it harder for them to have a change of heart and deal Kaman. The 29-year-old is in the final year of a contract that will pay him approximately $14MM for 2011/12. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

Hornets To End Trade Talks, Retain Kaman

February 3rd, 2012 at 2:56pm CST by Luke Adams

2:56pm: The Hornets intend to shut down trade discussions for Kaman and bring the center back to the team, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein and Chris Broussard. It's unclear whether the stance is firm or whether New Orleans will field more offers before March 15th.

2:40pm: After reporting earlier this week that the Hornets and Rockets have had "extensive discussions" about Chris Kaman, Sam Amick of SI.com tweets that talks between the two sides have backtracked as of yesterday.

There were indications following Amick's initial report that the Hornets and Rockets weren't moving any closer to a deal, as Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston said the chances of a trade were "low." Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune also suggested that the Pacers, not the Rockets, may be the frontrunner to land Kaman.

Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reported yesterday that the Hornets are seeking players on their rookie deals or a first-round pick in this year's draft. It's awfully hard to imagine any team offering even a late first-rounder to take on Kaman's $14MM+ salary, but as the Chris Paul negotiations showed, the league-owned Hornets likely won't make a deal unless they receive compensation they perceive to be fair.

Rockets, Pacers Frontrunners For Kaman?

February 2nd, 2012 at 8:42am CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 8:42am: A source tells Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune that the Pacers, rather than the Rockets, may actually be the leading candidates to land Kaman.

WEDNESDAY, 4:36pm: Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston tweets that, while the Rockets have discussed Kaman with the Hornets, chances of the two sides working out a deal are low.

1:54pm: The Hornets continue to shop Chris Kaman, and according to SI.com's Sam Amick, a frontrunner has emerged in the sweepstakes. The Rockets have had "extensive discussions" with New Orleans about Kaman and appear to be in the lead for the center, Amick reports.

According to Amick, no deal is close, but certain pieces have been discussed, including Hasheem Thabeet and Jordan Hill. Both former first-round picks are in the last year of their contracts, which would give the Hornets the opportunity to clear Thabeet's $5.13MM salary and Hill's $2.86MM off their books in the offseason. Houston also has plenty of other assets that could interest the Hornets, including Jonny Flynn's expiring contract and a handful of draft picks. When NBA.com's David Aldridge and SI.com's Zach Lowe examined Kaman's possible destinations this week, both concluded that the Rockets are among the best fits.

A number of clubs have been linked to Kaman since the 29-year-old asked to be traded. Of those teams, the Hawks and Warriors don't appear to be serious suitors, a source tells Amick. The 76ers are also thought to be out of the running, as we heard this morning.

Odds & Ends: Nowitzki, Noah, Heat, Wizards

February 1st, 2012 at 4:50pm CST by Luke Adams

This year's later-than-usual trade deadline means we shouldn't expect the same amount of February player movement we'd normally see. Still, flipping the calendar page from to January to February means we're that much closer to seeing a few deals go down. While we wait to see where Dwight Howard, Chris Kaman, and the rest of this year's trade candidates land, let's round up today's odds and ends from around the league:

Asked about his future in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport, Dirk Nowitzki said he plans to play "at least two more years" in the NBA (hat tip to BallinEurope.com). I wouldn't read too much into that statement — even when Dirk's current contract with the Mavericks expires in 2014, he'll be just 36. I'd be surprised to see him retire at that point, barring a major injury or drop-off in the next couple seasons.
Joakim Noah admitted to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that the pressure he felt after signing a $60MM contract extension with the Bulls contributed to his struggles early this season.
The Heat have kept their expectations for the Eddy Curry experiment in check, and still may look to add another center, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sentinel. Their first choice is presumably Joel Przybilla, who will reportedly decide between the Heat and Bulls this week.
Despite the team's struggles this season, president Ernie Grunfeld doesn't intend to abandon the Wizards' long-term strategy, as he tells Michael Lee of the Washington Post.
Chris Paul's departure has left something of a leadership void in New Orleans, writes Jimmy Smith of the New Orleans Times-Picayune.
Marcus Banks has officially joined the D-League's Idaho Stampede, tweets Scott Schroeder of Ridiculous Upside. The eight-year NBA veteran signed with the D-League last week.

Northwest Links: Chandler, Thunder, Timberwolves

February 1st, 2012 at 3:47pm CST by Luke Adams

In a must-read New York Times piece, Jim Yardley discusses the relationship between the NBA and China, with a focus on Wilson Chandler's decision to sign with the Zhejiang Lions. Agent Chris Luchey was fielding offers for Chandler from Italian teams as well — offers that allowed for an opt-out if and when the lockout ended.

"We had 15 different conversations about what happens when the lockout ends," Luchey said. "I told him 100 times: 'The season is going to go. There is going to be a season.'"

Ultimately, the Nuggets' restricted free agent decided to sign in China, meaning he can't return to the NBA until the CBA season ends. When he makes it back, it sounds like he'll draw plenty of interest.

Here are the rest of this afternoon's links on the Nuggets and their Northwest division rivals:

In a mailbag for the Denver Post, Benjamin Hochman discusses the likelihood of the Nuggets adding Chandler or Kenyon Martin later in the season.
Russell Westbrook, who recently signed a long-term extension to remain in Oklahoma City, tells SI.com's Sam Amick that all the questions about his relationship with Kevin Durant just brought the two players closer together.
Rick Adelman's offense makes it easy to succeed, and the Timberwolves shouldn't have any regrets about parting ways with players who struggle with it, opines Jim Souhan of the Star Tribune.
The Timberwolves' strong play is having a significant impact on the Hornets/Clippers Chris Paul trade, as Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes.

Sixers Don’t Intend To Pursue Chris Kaman

February 1st, 2012 at 9:38am CST by Luke Adams

Despite recent injuries to big men Spencer Hawes and Nikola Vucevic, the 76ers don't intend to pursue a trade for Chris Kaman, tweets SI.com's Zach Lowe.

Hawes' left achilles has kept him out of action for the last eight games and Vucevic hasn't played since January 21st due to a strained quad. The rookie appears to be ready to go though after suiting up Monday, and while Hawes probably won't play tonight, he doesn't seem far off. Since neither injury seems to be very serious, it's no surprise the Sixers won't try to make a play for Kaman, whose $14MM salary would make for a tricky acquisition.

With their payroll sitting about $4MM below the luxury tax line, I expect the Sixers to look into smaller moves, perhaps making use of the $2.7MM trade exception they received when they dealt Marreese Speights. Meanwhile, the Jazz, Grizzlies, Spurs, Rockets, Bobcats, Pistons, Pacers, and Cavs are among the teams thought to have some level of interest in Kaman.