Odds & Ends: New York, Hayward, Ellis, Adrien
It’s been a busy day for New York basketball. Fans of both the Nets and Knicks are concerned about the slow starts of their favorite squads, but despite the rumors, we’ve heard that neither Jason Kidd nor Mike Woodson is in danger of getting fired. Justin Terranova of the New York Post sat down with NBA TV’s Greg Anthony and discussed the state of both teams, and while Anthony believes the Nets are in bigger trouble than the Knicks, there’s still plenty of time for both teams to turn their season around.
Here are some miscellaneous notes from Thursday night:
- An unnamed GM suspects the Suns will do everything in their power to pry Gordon Hayward away from the Jazz this offseason, tweets NBA TV’s Peter Vecsey. Hayward and the Jazz failed to reach a rookie contract extension before the deadline. The fourth year forward currently earns $3.5MM but should see a big pay raise once he hits restricted free agency this summer.
- Dwain Price of the Star Telegram details how the Mavericks’ offseason signing of Monta Ellis has been a critical part of the team’s early season success. Through 12 games, Ellis has been an excellent fit in Dallas’ system, posting a career high 19.5 PER. Coach Rick Carlisle spoke on how impressed he was with the veteran guard: “I thought he was going to be a hard worker and I thought that he was going to be a very talented guy, and he’s been all those things. The thing I really love is how well he continues to adapt to our system and our personnel.“
- Jeff Adrien‘s contract is non-guaranteed, but Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer details how the undersized post player is proving in Al Jefferson‘s absence that he might be worthy of a spot on the Bobcats roster.
- In a league where sharpshooting big men are becoming increasingly valuable, Michael Kaskey-Blomain of Philly.com discusses why Spencer Hawes‘ impressive skill set fits the 76ers uptempo offense perfectly. Tom Moore of the Burlington County Times reveals how much Brett Brown values Hawes. The seventh-year center’s contract expires at the end of the season.
- In his nightly roundup of the NBA, Yannis Koutroupis of HOOPSWORLD examines how Terrence Jones‘ experience in the D-League helped the stretch four develop into a Rockets starter this year. Jones is playing 21 MPG and shooting an impressive 53% on 64 attempts this year.
Will Mike Woodson Get Fired This Season?
The Knicks have been one of the most discussed teams of the 2013/14 season, and although they’ve only played 11 games thus far, their paltry three win total has created speculation around the league that head coach Mike Woodson might be in danger of losing his job. Although ESPNNewYork.com’s Ian Begley insists that Woodson isn’t afraid of getting shelved, Knicks fans have been vocal about their desire for new leadership. Multiple “fire Woodson” chants have erupted during losses at Madison Square Garden this season, and Ken Berger of CBS Sports suggests there are analysts and executives alike that think firing Woodson and attempting to lure current Kentucky coach John Calipari to New York might be the right course of action.
Most fans would likely agree that it’s unfair to place all the blame on Woodson, especially when key players like Tyson Chandler and Raymond Felton have been sidelined. It’s also worth mentioning that Knicks owner James Dolan was a big enough fan of Woodson to pick up his 2014/15 option, even after last year’s disappointing loss in the second round of the playoffs. Still, in a time where George Karl, Lionel Hollins, and Vinny Del Negro lose their jobs after putting together 50 win seasons, can Woodson’s position really be considered safe? Dan Favale of Bleacher Report notes that Dolan is not heralded as a rational decision maker and believes it’s inevitable that Woodson gets ousted eventually.
What do you think? Is Woodson’s position as safe as reported earlier today? Or is it only a matter of time before New York is looking for a new head coach? Vote below, and add your thoughts in the comment section!
Will Mike Woodson Get Fired This Season?
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Yes 67% (469)
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No 33% (231)
Total votes: 700
Atlantic Notes: Nets, Kidd, Woodson, Noel
Amidst mounting criticism for Nets head coach Jason Kidd, Kevin Garnett told reporters, including Brian Lewis of the New York Post that the blame falls on the players’ shoulders and not just on Kidd. Paul Pierce echoed those sentiments, saying that everyone is accountable for the club’s slow start. Here’s this afternoon’s look at the Atlantic..
- There has been some speculation over Mike Woodson‘s job security with the Knicks, but as far as he’s concerned, it “shouldn’t be a discussion,” tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. Earlier today, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com spoke with some league execs who speculated that the Knicks could be gearing up to make a run at Kentucky coach John Calipari.
- Sixers coach Brett Brown argues that Spencer Hawes and Nerlens Noel can play together on the floor without any issues, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Media. Unfortunately for Philly, they won’t know that for sure for quite a while.
- Kidd is preaching patience and reminding reporters that winning is a “process,” but Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record says the Nets have to start racking up the wins in a hurry if they want to contend this season.
- Marc Berman of the New York Post (via Twitter) argues that the Nets and Knicks would be in better shape if Kidd had continued playing and fulfilled the remainder of his three-year contract.
- Jonathan Tjarks of RealGM looks to diagnose why the Knicks are a team in crisis.
Atlantic Rumors: Calipari, Knicks, Sixers
The Knicks organization and CAA Sports have a well-publicized relationship which has led to a pipeline of sorts from the agency to the team. As the Hoops Rumors Agency Database shows, CAA represents Carmelo Anthony, J.R. Smith, and Andrea Bargnani, as well as Chris Smith, who, as Brandon Jennings will tell you, probably found his way on to the roster thanks to his older brother and agent Leon Rose. CAA also represents assistant GM Allan Houston, player personnel director Mark Warkentien, and coach Mike Woodson, but there could be another CAA client set to take Woodson’s place on the sidelines. More on that and other items out of the lowly Atlantic Division..
- Ousting Woodson and calling Kentucky head coach John Calipari could be the next step for the Knicks, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Some league executives agree with Berger’s thinking with one noting that the club will have to sell Anthony and free agents on hope, or the illusion of it, which can be accomplished by hiring Coach Cal. It won’t come cheap though – one exec says the bidding could start at $8MM per year.
- The Sixers shook things up yesterday by waiving veteran Kwame Brown and guard Darius Morris and signing free agent guards Elliot Williams and Lorenzo Brown. GM Sam Hinkie says talent evaluation is an ongoing process. “This is the stage we’re in,” Hinkie said, according to Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times. “We’ll continue to evaluate players and find ones that can help us move forward and find others on our radar that we can add to our group.”
- No one should be surprised that Bargnani is giving the Knicks good defense down low since that has always been his strength, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun. His weakness, however, is poor help defense.
- Rudy Gay‘s passing performance last night helps his trade value, and Raptors GM Masai Ujiri certainly wants to see more of that, Wolstat tweets.
Knicks Notes: Shumpert, Anthony, Rockets
Last night at the Garden, the Knicks lost a heartbreaker to the Pacers – their sixth straight loss at home. New York had a three point lead in the waning seconds when Paul George heaved up a three and was fouled in the act by Iman Shumpert. George would go on to ice all three of the free throws and send the game into OT, where the Pacers won. Coach Mike Woodson was less-than-thrilled with Shumpert’s body control on that crucial play, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post.
“The worst that can happen is he hits a three over you and it goes into overtime like it did,’’ Woodson said. “But you can’t foul him. I looked at the tape and he got him on the elbow and Joey [Crawford] made the correct call.’’
Here’s more out of MSG, where the trade talk continues to swirl around Shump..
- Carmelo Anthony hopes that Shumpert will be a part of the Knicks’ future, writes Berman. “I think he is [part of the future],’’ Anthony said. “I hope so. We have a lot of expectations with Iman, especially the way he played tonight. That’s the Iman we need him to be [defensively]. He could take it in a good way. I hope he doesn’t think about it.’’
- For his part, Shumpert says there’s “nothing he can do” about the incessant trade talk, writes Josh Newman of SNY. Yesterday, Marc Stein of ESPN.com reported that both Shumpert and the Knicks have privately acknowledged that a deal is inevitable.
- If the Knicks were ever to make Anthony available, the Rockets could put together an attractive trade offer for him, tweets Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld.
New York Notes: Shumpert, Woodson, Tyler
As both the Knicks and Nets are in action tonight, here is the latest out of NYC.
- Knicks guard Iman Shumpert says the trade talk isn’t getting to him, but Clyde Frazier says otherwise, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. “He’s always been a very confident guy,’’ Frazier said. “I think he just has to find his role. Sometimes he doesn’t look like he’s happy out here. Maybe that’s because he heard the rumors he’s being traded. But he’s very stern in his face. It doesn’t look like he’s having fun.’’
- If Mike Woodson gets fired, who will coach the Knicks? Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com throws out some names, including Jeff Van Gundy, Phil Jackson, and Lionel Hollins.
- Marc Berman of the NY Post tweets that Jeremy Tyler, the injured Knicks player controversially cut for Chris Smith, is rehabbing in a Tarrytown facility and could make his D-League debut in as little as two weeks.
- Emiliano Carchia of Sportando passes along a Turkish report indicating that free agent point Sundiata Gaines is set to join Turkey’s Besiktas. Gaines, who last played in the NBA in 2011/12 for the Nets, spent last season with Fujian in China.
Luke Adams and Jonathan Nehring contributed to this post.
Latest On Omer Asik, Rockets
With Omer Asik unhappy and demanding a trade on a weekly basis, the Rockets are surveying their options. Word is that they’re not boxing themselves into a specific position to target in a deal and they’re instead just looking for a difference-maker of any size, according to Marc Stein of ESPN.com.
All indications are that Houston is still in the early stages of working through their Asik options, because even though he is a proven defensive anchor who protects the rim and gets boards, his offensive limitations hurt his value. There’s also sentiment within the organization that Asik is the club’s third-best player and with that mindset, they surely don’t want to give him away for nothing.
On top of that, there should be other options on the trade block including Iman Shumpert, Derrick Williams, Arron Afflalo and Jameer Nelson. In fact, Shump and the Knicks both concede that a trade is inevitable, league sources tell Stein. Despite all of the roadblocks, Stein expects Houston to find a new home for Asik between December 15th – the date when many trade restrictions are lifted – and the February trade deadline.
It remains to be seen where Asik is traded to, but Stein says not to expect a deal with New Orleans involving Ryan Anderson. The Pelicans are high on Anderson and believe that he’s a better fit for their offense than Asik. He’s also much more affordable – he still has two years left on his four-year, $34MM pact while Asik’s salary balloons to $15MM next season.
Eastern Notes: Josh Smith, Sixers, Knicks
The Pacers will aim to become the NBA’s first team to 10 wins this season tonight when they face the reeling Knicks in New York. As we look forward to that contest and a handful of others, let’s check in on the latest out of the Eastern Conference….
- The Pistons laid the groundwork for this summer’s signing of Josh Smith by pursuing the forward back in 2008, when he hit restricted free agency with the Hawks, writes Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press. Detroit didn’t make an offer at the time, since Atlanta seemed poised to match any offer sheet, but the Pistons maintained their interest over the next several years.
- Thaddeus Young knows he’ll be the subject of trade rumors this season, but the Sixers forward said all the right things to Lang Greene of HoopsWorld in discussing the possibility. “At the end of the day I realize the NBA is a business and things happen for different reasons,” Young said. “If it happens then so be it, but at the end of the day I love being in Philly. It’s like my second home. Right now I’m there.”
- In spite of increasingly frequent “Fire Woodson!” chants at Madison Square Garden, Ian Begley of ESPN New York believes the Knicks‘ Mike Woodson deserves a chance to coach a healthy roster before any decisions are made.
- Pacers consultant and former Knicks president Donnie Walsh says he was “surprised” by his old team’s decision to let GM Glen Grunwald go before the season, according to Justin Tasch of the New York Daily News.
Zwerling On Amar’e, Wallace, Humphries
Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report recaps many of the rumors we’ve heard about the Knicks and Celtics in recent days, and adds plenty more in his latest piece. Let’s dive in.
- Zwerling presents a somewhat different version of an earlier trade rumor, which suggested that the Celtics would take on Amar’e Stoudemire if the Knicks would take back Gerald Wallace and Courtney Lee. Zwerling reports that the teams had talks about such a swap over the summer, and that Iman Shumpert was also part of the package. In the latest version of the proposal, Kris Humphries replaces Lee, while Shumpert is not involved.
- The Celtics like the idea of Avery Bradley as their shooting guard going forward, and envision the soon-to-be restricted free agent as a $6MM-a-year player. Bradley’s development is why Shumpert is no longer a part of their talks with the Knicks. The Celtics don’t plan to be competitive in 2014/15, fueling their willingness to take on Stoudemire.
- The Celtics are “desperate” to trade Wallace, Zwerling hears.
- The Knicks continue to have interest in Humphries after having eyed him in the summer. They would have signed him if the Celtics had bought him out, but Boston wasn’t sure how rookie Vitor Faverani would perform and wanted to keep Humphries as insurance. Humphries maintains his interest in the Knicks as well, and he’s also keen on the Rockets as an option.
- Miles Plumlee of the Suns is another young center the Knicks might like, but not if it means parting with Shumpert, Zwerling writes.
- Zwerling points to a clause in Kenyon Martin‘s contract with the Knicks, revealed earlier this month by Mark Deeks of ShamSports, that nullifies his guarantee if he misses 15 games because of arthritis, repair to his patellar tendon, or progressive loss of articular cartilage.
- The Knicks‘ medical staff has OK’d Stoudemire for up to 20 minutes per game, about twice as many as he’s seeing.
- The Knicks are concerned about a lack of vocal leadership that can serve as a check on Carmelo Anthony‘s power among his teammates.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Gordon, Wittman
The NBA held internal discussions about the Knicks‘ signing of Chris Smith and ultimately determined the move wasn’t in violation of circumventing the salary cap, reports Marc Berman of the New York Post. Previous reports have indicated rival agents believe the Knicks signed J.R. Smith and his younger brother as a package deal. However, a league official tells Berman that Chris is “one of those projects” who may not help immediately, but could develop into an NBA player.
Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:
- If the Knicks need to add a free agent, Smith may be the player released to make room, but so far the team has been content to stand pat despite frontcourt injuries. The latest player sidelined is Metta World Peace, who had fluid drained from his knee on Monday, according to Ian Begley of ESPN New York. However, the procedure was believed to be minor, and MWP is expected back on the court by the end of the week.
- Bobcats guard Ben Gordon tells K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that if the Bulls were to call him when he becomes a free agent next summer, he’d definitely listen. “I had a lot of success here, had a great time here,” Gordon said. “I’m not in position to rule anybody out.”
- According to John Wall, the Wizards’ players believe in Randy Wittman, who isn’t worried that his job is in danger. Michael Lee of the Washington Post has the details.
- Sam Amick of USA Today hears from a person with knowledge of the Wizards thinking that Wittman will still have the opportunity to right the ship in Washington before the team considers a change.