Atlantic Notes: Aldemir, Curry, Davies, Knicks
Furkan Aldemir received his visa and will officially make his transfer to the Sixers, according to David Pick of Eurobasket.com (Twitter Link). The deal was first reported back on November 24th but numerous issues have caused delays in bringing Aldemir to Philly. The team currently does not have an open roster spot with the signing of Ronald Roberts Jr. on Friday so another move for the Sixers in the future is likely.
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Leading up to the 2009 draft, Stephen Curry told the Warriors to stay away because he wanted to play for the Knicks, writes Harvey Araton of the New York Times. “The Warriors had some questionable characters on their team, the Knicks really needed a point guard, and we felt that Stephen would fit perfectly with a coach like Mike D’Antoni, playing that fast, up-and-down style. He loved the idea of playing at Madison Square Garden,” said Dell Curry, Stephen’s father. Curry ended up being drafted by the Warriors with the seventh overall pick of the 2009 draft, one pick ahead of the Knicks, who ended up drafting Jordan Hill.
- Although coach Brett Brown was disappointed with the decision to trade Brandon Davies, the Sixers made the right move, opines Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Moore acknowledges that Davies has improved his game through hard work but argues that Davies isn’t a player whom the Sixers can build around once they have a contending team. Moore likens the situation to Philadelphia’s choice not to bring back James Anderson last offseason. Anderson could certainly help the team improve today but he didn’t show enough to indicate that he could contribute on a winning team.
- The Knicks are off to a horrible start at 5-20 but optimism is starting to surround the team, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Head coach Derek Fisher noted that New York is starting to look like “a team” after Friday’s win over the Celtics. Carmelo Anthony, who played a key role in the win, knows success will quiet the rumors surrounding him on the team. “If we were winning, we wouldn’t be sitting here talking about a story out there that says I want a trade,” Anthony said in reference to a report that claimed he was open to waiving his no-trade clause to a winning team.
Atlantic Notes: Anthony, Stevens, Kirilenko
It may be time for Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony to consider knee surgery, suggests Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Citing Anthony’s troublesome knee pain and the Knicks’ miserable 5-20 record, Begley writes that shutting down their star player for the season might be the best solution. Anthony, whose status is uncertain for Sunday’s game with the Raptors, said he considers surgery a last resort. He is in the first season of a five-year, $124MM deal he signed with the Knicks after being one of last summer’s most hotly pursued free agents.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Despite the Knicks‘ lousy start, Anthony isn’t having second thoughts about staying in New York, writes Mike Lupica of The Daily News. “After all the work I did to get here and get back here? If I was to get up and want to leave now that would just make me weak, make me have a weak mind,” Anthony said in response to a question after Friday’s victory over the Celtics. “I’ve never been a person to try to run from any adversity or anything like that so I’m not going to pick today to do that.”
- Are the rigors of another losing season taking their toll on Celtics coach Brad Stevens, asks A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. At 7-14, Boston is two wins behind its pace of last season and ranks 28th in the league in points allowed. But Stevens, who built a successful college program at Butler before coming to the Celtics, retains respect around the league. “He runs a lot of good stuff that works for the players they have,” an unidentified Eastern Conference scout said of Stevens. “But other than Marcus Smart, they’re not very good defensively and the Smart kid keeps getting hurt. Most nights, it’s their defense that kills them.”
- Seventeen months ago, the Nets‘ signing of Andrei Kirilenko seemed like a steal, recalls Anthony Puccio of NetsDaily. The veteran forward, a Russian native just like team owner Mikhail Prokhorov, agreed to join the Nets for less than a third of the $10MM annual salary he was making with the Timberwolves. But the relationship quickly soured. Back spasms kept Kirilenko off the court early in the year, and he saw limited playing time throughout the season and playoffs. Kirilenko was traded to the Sixers earlier this week.
Eastern Notes: Davies, Payton, Heat, D-League
Brandon Davies was asked about the perception that his former team, the Sixers, were tanking in a deliberate effort to land the No. 1 overall pick in the draft, Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Davies denied that was the case amongst the players, and said, “One thing I can tell you in the locker room, we were set on winning. We were just going away. I think the games we played in showed that. We lost some close games against some really good teams.”
Here’s more from the East:
- Nets coach Lionel Hollins was disappointed that the Sixers waived Jorge Gutierrez, whom they had acquired along with Andrei Kirilenko on Wednesday, Pompey tweets.
- When the Magic drafted Elfrid Payton with the No. 10 pick in this year’s draft it appeared the plan was to play him and Victor Oladipo alongside each other, which hasn’t occured much this season, Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com writes. But according to coach Jacque Vaughn, things can change as Payton continues to develop, notes Howard-Cooper. “I think overall we’ll see how this combination finds its way,” said Vaughn. “The great thing is I have my eyes, which I always listen to, and I also have stats these days, which I can look at and see how that pairing is doing. A lot of detail will go into it. But there’s no rush from the standpoint of ‘This has to happen now.’“
- The Heat‘s two young big men, Justin Hamilton and Hassan Whiteside, are beginning to impress coach Erik Spoelstra, Ira Winderman of The Sun Sentinel writes. “They both do some nice things and they both do it in a different way,” Spoelstra said. “Justin is a very intelligent, in-the-right-place type of weak-side defender. He does a lot of things that don’t show up in a box score. He reminds me a little bit of a Shane Battier, does a lot of those intangible things. Whiteside is big and he has that great gift of blocking shots, so you know somebody is in there.”
- The Heat have assigned Whiteside and Shabazz Napier to the Sioux Falls Skyforce, their D-League affiliate, the team announced. This will be the first trek of the season to the D-League for both players.
- With both the Lakers and the Knicks struggling mightily this season, and both franchises’ future prospects looking equally bleak, Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony should find a way to become teammates, Paul Newberry of The Associated Press opines. Newberry does acknowledge that the players’ respective contracts would make this a difficult proposition.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Kirilenko, Nets, ‘Melo
Sixers coach Brett Brown referred today to a “fluid” situation, wouldn’t address questions regarding Andrei Kirilenko and Jorge Gutierrez, and said there’s “high probability” that the team will make a “subtle, small announcement” before tonight’s game, observes Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. The Sixers on Thursday announced the acquisition of both Kirilenko and Gutierrez, and Philadelphia reportedly has held some interest in keeping as a potential asset for the trade deadline, even though reports prior to the trade indicated that Philly intended to waive him. While we wait to see what Philly’s plans are regarding Kirilenko, here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- The amount of cash the Nets sent the Sixers in the Kirilenko trade is $1MM, tweets Robert Windrem of NetsDaily. That leaves the Nets with a total of $2.3MM they can send out in trades between now and the end of June, as the NetsDaily scribe points out.
- Carmelo Anthony was forceful in his insistence that he doesn’t want to leave the Knicks as he addressed an earlier report that he would be open to waiving his no-trade clause, one that both he and his agent denied. Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com has the details. “Come on, man. After all the work I did to get here and get back here? If I was to get up and want to leave now that would just make me weak, make me have a weak mind,” Anthony said. “I’ve never been a person to try to run from any adversity or anything like that so I’m not going to pick today to do that.”
- Luc Mbah a Moute and K.J. McDaniels, both free agents at season’s end, join Michael Carter-Williams and Robert Covington as the Sixers whom the team should prioritize keeping, opines Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
‘Melo, Agent Affirm Commitment To Knicks
Carmelo Anthony and agent Leon Rose deny that his client wants to leave the Knicks in the wake of a report from Marc Berman of the New York Post citing sources who say that Anthony would be open to waiving his no-trade clause. Anthony said this morning that he won’t run from “adversity,” tweets Ian Begley of ESPN.com. Rose issued his statement to multiple reporters, including Frank Isola of the New York Daily News (Twitter links).
“Carmelo, as always, is committed to the Knicks,” Rose said. “There have never been discussions about trades or wanting to leave New York. Any story, rumor, report to the contrary is utter nonsense.”
Though Berman heard that Anthony would be receptive to a deal if the Knicks made one with a team he’d like to play for, ‘Melo nonetheless has no desire to be traded, Berman writes. Anthony can’t be traded until Monday, as Berman notes, since he signed a new deal in the offseason. That contract, worth $124,064,681 over five seasons, contains a 15% trade kicker in addition to the no-trade clause that the Knicks would have to pay if they were to trade him.
Berman suggested that the Bulls, Anthony’s second choice as a free agent destination this summer, would be a logical trading partner, though Isola casts doubt on that idea, given what the Bulls would have to give up to make salaries match and Anthony’s knee trouble of late (Twitter link). Anthony makes $22,458,401 this season, a difficult number to move given all of the assets another team would have to relinquish. Brooklyn’s willingness to trade its three most highly paid players would present a numerical match and a chance for Anthony to stay in New York, but there’s been no indication that Anthony would consider the Nets, having struggles of their own, more palatable than the Knicks.
A report earlier this week indicated that Anthony was a frequent source of criticism from his teammates, Tim Hardaway Jr. in particular, and that Anthony had threatened Hardaway during an on-court argument. Anthony and Hardaway later acknowledged the argument but denied any lasting tension between them, and Anthony said that he hadn’t noticed himself as a particular target of blame for the struggles of the Knicks, who are just 4-20 to begin the season.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, De Colo, Celtics
It might be time for the Knicks to end any thoughts of rebuilding the franchise around their existing core, and change their focus to completely tearing down their roster instead, Harvey Araton of The New York Times writes. The only thing that should prevent New York from doing so is if it can add a premier free agent next summer to partner with Carmelo Anthony, notes Araton. But team president Phil Jackson had admitted that he worries that this season’s disastrous turn will make New York an unattractive option to potential free agents like Marc Gasol and LaMarcus Aldridge, both of whom the Knicks would love to sign, Araton adds.
Here’s more out of the Atlantic Division:
- Despite losing their last 10 games, the Knicks‘ biggest concern right now is Anthony’s left knee, Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes. According to Anthony, surgery is the last option that he will consider, Begley notes. “I’m not even looking forward to even discussing the surgery or anything like that,” Anthony said. “I’ll explore as many other options as I can before I go under the knife and get surgery. We really don’t know exactly what’s the problem.”
- The Celtics have recalled James Young and Dwight Powell from the Maine Red Claws, their D-League Affiliate, the team announced. In Maine’s win over Delaware last night, Powell contributed 19 points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes of action. Young also dropped 19 points, including nailing five three-pointers in seven attempts.
- The bad news regarding Young’s latest trip to the D-League is that he injured his shoulder and will be out indefinitely, Julian Edlow of WEEI 93.7 FM reports. “I guess his shoulder subluxed and they’re doing more tests to see the extent of the injury,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens said. “Those can be very, very short-term things or they can be a little bit longer, but that’s the extent of what I know. He’s getting X-rays right now.”
- The Raptors and other NBA teams reached out last summer to express their interest in Nando De Colo, who wanted to re-sign with Toronto, but those clubs were too late, since he’d already committed to sign with CSKA Moscow, David Pick Of Basketball Insiders reports.
- The Knicks are unlikely to make any deals that would impact their cap space for next season unless they can acquire All-Star level player, Chad Ford of ESPN.com reports in his weekly chat.
Chuck Myron contributed to this post.
Atlantic Rumors: Kirilenko, Sixers, Nets, Knicks
Earlier reports have suggested that Andrei Kirilenko would be interested in playing again in February, once a family matter involving his wife is resolved, but it’s an iffy proposition whether Kirilenko will play at any point this season, USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt hears (Twitter links). Sixers officials are trying to convince Kirilenko that he should remain with Philadelphia once the trade goes through, though he’s not pleased with the idea, as John Gonzalez of CSNPhilly.com hears (Twitter link). The Sixers, who see Kirilenko as a valuable asset whom they could flip at the February 19th trade deadline, according to Gonzalez, would ultimately have the power to keep Kirilenko on the roster this season no matter how he feels about it once the Nets trade is complete. However, it looks as though they’d prefer to give his roster spot to someone they could put on the court if Kirilenko’s not willing to play for them. There’s plenty more on the Kirilenko trade amid the latest from the Atlantic Division:
- The Nets have an agreement to sign a player to fill the roster vacancy that the Kirilenko trade is set to create, tweets Robert Windrem of NetsDaily . That advances an earlier report from Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, who heard the team had someone lined up for that opening (Twitter link). The identity of the soon-to-be signee is unknown, but it’s not an eye-catching name, according to the NetsDaily scribe.
- Brooklyn will be able to create a $3.3MM trade exception from the Kirilenko deal, a league source tells Windrem (Twitter link). The precise value of that exception will probably be $3,326,235, equivalent to Kirilenko’s salary, since the identical minimum salaries of Brandon Davies and Jorge Gutierrez would essentially cancel each other out, but that won’t be entirely clear until after the trade is official.
- Knicks teammates Carmelo Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr. confirmed that they engaged in an argument during last week’s loss to the Nets, but they don’t think it’s emblematic of a rift between the two of them, as a report Wednesday portrayed it to be. Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com has the details.
- Anthony also denied that other players are holding him entirely responsible for the team’s struggles, and he also says that he and the other Knicks players don’t harbor doubts about the triangle offense, as Begley relays in the same piece.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Nets, Celtics, Knicks
A number of experts around the NBA opine that the Sixers have a brighter future than the Knicks, Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv writes. When Zagoria asked an NBA executive which franchise is in a better position to improve, the executive said, “If [Joel] Embiid is Hakeem Olajuwon instead of Greg Oden, the answer is Philly. The Knicks have one first-round pick in the next two years, zero second-round picks and zero worthwhile International Rights guys. Philly has two first-round picks this year, four second-round picks in the next two and the rights to [Dario] Saric and [Vasilije] Micic. Carmelo Anthony is better than any current 76er but Philly has a far better coach [Brett Brown] and more talented young players. The Knicks need to start building a roster and stop waiting for a miracle free agent. There are too many destination markets with cap room and better rosters and a weak ’15 free agent class.”
Here’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Despite the recent reports that the Nets are willing to trade Deron Williams, Brook Lopez, and Joe Johnson, Williams isn’t concerned he might be dealt, Tim Bontemps of The New York Post writes. “I’m not worried about it, man,” Williams said. “I’m a Net until they tell me otherwise. It is what it is. It’s a business, so stuff like [trade rumors] happens. I don’t see any problem [dealing with it]. Brook [Lopez] has dealt with it, so I don’t see it being a problem for him, and I don’t think Joe [Johnson] is too worried about it. No matter what’s being written or whatever, I’m still here. I’m still a Net. My priority is to play for this organization.”
- Celtics coach Brad Stevens has been using Marcus Smart during the fourth quarters of recent games at the expense of playing time for Rajon Rondo. But no matter how well Smart plays, the idea of him replacing Rondo as a starter this season would be crazy, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com opines. If things ever get to the point where that becomes a serious consideration, Boston would just as soon trade Rondo rather than have him become Smart’s backup, but the rookie’s steady progression can do nothing but hurt Rondo’s trade value in the eyes of potential suitors, Blakely adds.
- After a horrendous 4-19 start to the season, the Knicks could be looking at even more difficulties ahead. Anthony has been playing in pain all season courtesy of a sore left knee, and now he may require surgery to correct the problem, which would keep him out of action indefinitely, Frank Isola of The New York Daily News reports.
Knicks Rumors: Smith, Fisher, ‘Melo, Hardaway
J.R. Smith is the Knicks player whom the team would most like to trade, sources tell Chris Broussard of ESPN.com. That’s unsurprising, since the Knicks had reportedly been having internal discussions over a period of several months about how to trade the swingman. The Pacers have been the team most recently linked to Smith, but there haven’t been new developments on that front for a few weeks. Broussard has more on what appears to be rampant dysfunction inside the 4-19 Knicks, as we detail amid the latest on the blue-and-orange:
- Knicks players are frustrated with coach Derek Fisher‘s reliance on the triangle offense, his defensive scheme, and his stoic demeanor on the sidelines, Broussard hears. Fisher recently expressed that he felt that his players had doubts about the triangle, while team president Phil Jackson pointed to a lack of discipline and order and a resistance to culture change among the players.
- There’s a general sense of discord within the locker room, with Carmelo Anthony a frequent target of complaints from teammates, sources tell Broussard. Anthony and Tim Hardaway Jr. are particularly at odds, and Anthony threatened to fight Hardaway at one point, though no physical confrontations have taken place, Broussard hears.
- Jackson chalked up the reason the Knicks have lost several close games to what he called a “loser’s mentality,” but Anthony doesn’t see it like that, as Marc Berman of the New York Post relays. “Losing mentality, a lot of people will try to decipher that in their own different way,’’ Anthony said Tuesday, before the Knicks lost again, to the Pelicans. “You ask 10 people, you get 10 different opinions on what that really means. I know we don’t have a losing mentality.’’
Atlantic Notes: Raptors, Rondo, Celtics, Knicks
Raptors GM Masai Ujiri believes that he should let his team continue to grow, stocked as it is with plenty of young players around 28-year-old Kyle Lowry, as he tells Sportsnet’s Michael Grange. It’s more or less the same stance he’s taken ever since the Rudy Gay trade, which went down one year ago today,
“This is the time to let it sit and play itself out,” Ujiri said to Grange. “It’s not the time to play poker, not now.”
Of course, deception is often the key to a skilled poker player, and the Raptors have reason to act now if they’re going to make a move, since a trade exception worth more than $4.583MM that’s left over from the Gay trade expires at the end of today. Nonetheless, it seems only logical to take Ujiri at his word with the Raptors at 16-5 heading into tonight’s clash with the Cavs. Here’s more from around the Atlantic Division:
- Scouts and player personnel officials tell Shaun Powell of NBA.com that Rajon Rondo is no longer the sort of player who can command a blockbuster return in a trade. That’s mostly because of a market flooded with quality point guards, Powell writes, wondering if the Celtics would have received more if they had traded Rondo around the time of this year’s draft.
- The Celtics have sent rookies James Young and Dwight Powell to the D-League again, the team announced (Twitter link). It’s the fifth time that each has been on assignment to the Maine Red Claws this season. Young and Powell are the top two scorers for Boston’s D-League affiliate, checking in at 23.3 and 22.3 points per game, respectively.
- Phil Jackson is being careful not to step into coach Derek Fisher‘s territory, but closer interaction between the Zen Master and Knicks players couldn’t hurt, opines Marc Berman of the New York Post.