Atlantic Notes: Nets, Knicks, Wallace, Collins
Tonight in Philadelphia, the Nets are looking to close in on the Atlantic-leading Knicks. Brooklyn is currently riding a three-game winning streak including Friday night's victory over the Wizards headlined by Deron Williams' 42 points and eleven three pointers. Meanwhile, New York expects to have Carmelo Anthony back in action tonight as they take on the Warriors. Here's tonight's news out of the Atlantic..
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson said after the trip he and GM Glen Grunwald will talk about making a roster move, but it doesn't sound like they'll be releasing Rasheed Wallace, tweets Frank Isola of the New York Daily News. The veteran was with the team today and Woodson says that he has a chance to bounce back strong.
- The Nets will be one of six teams paying luxury taxes after this season and interim coach P.J. Carlesimo is appreciative of that, writes Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. “It’s one of the best things an owner can do. Giving a coach a longterm contract is more important,” quipped Carlesimo. “But other than that I think when you have an owner that’s willing to spend money and not pay lip-service. All the owners say they want to win a championship, When you have someone that is committed to winning it and is willing to expend funds to do it, give us the resources, that’s fantastic.”
- Nets veteran Jerry Stackhouse, who has played for 76ers coach Doug Collins in two cities, praised his passion for the game and said that he can even be "borderline manic" at times, tweets Tom Moore of Calkins Newspapers. There has been speculation that Collins' job is in jeopardy going forward in part because of how his style clashes with the club.
- Reflecting on his time in Philly alongside Allen Iverson, Stackhouse said, "Somebody didn't do their homework – we're both shooting guards," tweets Moore.
Odds & Ends: Wolves, Rockets, Balkman, Draft
The Timberwolves had been looking into obtaining an injury exception to sign a 16th player, but the team is unlikely to add anyone to the roster at this point, according to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities. That includes Dominique Jones, whose camp has been reaching out to teams. David Kahn isn't interested in the ex-Maverick, says Wolfson (Twitter links). Here are a few more updates from around the Association:
- The Rockets have "quietly been sending out signals" that they'd be willing to trade Omer Asik and/or Jeremy Lin this summer in a deal that would upgrade their roster, according to Sam Smith of Bulls.com.
- Former Knick and Nugget Renaldo Balkman has been banned from the Philippines' professional basketball league following an altercation with a teammate, according to a Reuters report (via the New York Times). The 2006 first-round pick had been playing for the Petron Blaze Boosters.
- Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress.com isn't buying the narrative that borderline draft prospects should enter this year's draft because the class is weak. According to Givony, while the 2013 draft looks weaker than normal at the top, it seems to have "great depth" outside of the top five (Twitter links).
- Amare Stoudemire's contract, which continues to look worse, represents the "Original Sin" of the present Knicks' era, writes Howard Beck of the New York Times.
- With Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard scheduled to face their old teams this week, Ken Berger of CBSSports.com revisits the blockbuster deals that sent the two stars to their current clubs.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Sixers, Martin, Bynum
Here's a look at the latest out of the Atlantic..
- Ten-day signee Kenyon Martin will almost assuredly remain with the Knicks for the rest of the season, and as long as he performs well in the absence of Amare Stoudemire, New York might not feel compelled to waive the injured Rasheed Wallace to pursue another healthy big man, as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com surmises.
- A sign-and-trade of Andrew Bynum might be the best option for the Sixers, who probably won't be as eager as other teams to roll the dice on the big man's health once more, argues John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
- Former Celtics and Knicks guard Bill Walker has resurfaced in the D-League and is hoping to show that his inconsistent tendencies are behind him, writes Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside. Walker is with the guard-heavy Austin Toros who often have the Spurs' Cory Joseph suiting up for them, so he will have to work hard to be a regular part of their rotation.
Atlantic Links: Bynum, Knicks, Celtics
After paying a hefty price of Andre Iguodala, Nikola Vucevic, Maurice Harkless and a first round pick to bring Andrew Bynum to Philadelphia, the 76ers have had little to reap from that investment this season. Ben Bolch of the LA Times wonders if it will be worth the risk offering the one-time All-Star a new deal this summer, something that GM Tony DiLeo called the team's "Plan A" for the upcoming offseason. Here's the rest of what we've heard out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Howard Beck of the New York Times clarifies that Amar'e's contract is uninsured in the event of a career ending eye or knee injury (Twitter link).
- Amare Stoudemire's injury could open up some playing time for sparingly-used Chris Copeland, writes Mark Herrmann of Newsday. Meanwhile, ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling talks about the fallout of not having Stoudemire and how the Knicks will have to adjust for the rest of the season.
- A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com highlights the potency of the Celtics bench, who he says has had an impact on nearly every aspect of the game. In another article, Jackie MacMullan of ESPN Boston delves heavily into the complete team player that Paul Pierce has been and how he has carried the Celtics on his back this season.
- Mary Schmitt Boyer of The Plain Dealer profiles Raptors' rookie Jonas Valanciunas, who despite his inexperience has earned a significant role with coach Dwane Casey because of his high activity level and toughness.
Amar’e Out Six Weeks, Knicks May Seek Replacement
According to the Knicks' official PR Twitter account, Amare Stoudemire will have a knee debridement on his right knee and is projected to be out for six weeks following the procedure. This past summer, the 6'11 big man had the same operation done after a popliteal cyst had ruptured in his left knee, causing him to miss the first 30 games of the season. Ian Begley of ESPN New York (via Twitter) hears that coach Mike Woodson will consult with team brass about Rasheed Wallace's roster spot and the possibility of finding a healthy replacement for Stoudemire.
Wallace, who underwent surgery for a broken left foot near the end of February, faced an eight week recovery but was kept on the roster in hope that he would be ready for a potential return in the playoffs. While the Knicks recently brought Kenyon Martin on board, the only other true big men currently healthy on the team are Tyson Chandler, Marcus Camby, and Kurt Thomas. Camby had been inactive for nearly two months after suffering a strained left plantar fascia in January, and despite returning to the active list, has only played a total of 13 minutes in the last three contests.
With 23 games left and the task of getting the team as healthy as it can before the start of the playoffs, New York would be hard-pressed if they didn't try to find some help via free agency now. With the roster currently at 15, the Knicks would have to release someone in order to open up a spot. Woodson has favored a small lineup featuring Carmelo Anthony at the power forward this season, so whether the team would target another big man or a tall perimeter forward if they did look to sign someone would be worth keeping in mind.
Atlantic Links: Martin, Knicks, Sixers, Green
The Knicks lost a nailbiter at Madison Square Garden last night against the Thunder, but still hold a three-game lead in the Atlantic Division. Tonight, the Nets and Celtics will host the Wizards and Hawks, respectively, as they look to make up a half-game in the standings. Here's the latest out of the Atlantic:
- Kenyon Martin played a season-high 17 minutes last night, and made a strong case for a rest-of-season contract, writes Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com. As Zwerling notes, Ronnie Brewer, the player the Knicks traded to Oklahoma City to clear a spot for Martin, received a DNP-CD for the Thunder.
- In a video for Philly.com, Bob Ford of the Philadelphia Inquirer and Noah Coslov of CineSport argue that it doesn't make sense for the Sixers to re-sign Andrew Bynum in free agency this summer.
- Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald spoke to Jeff Green about the heart condition that kept him out of action last season, and the trade that originally sent him to the Celtics for Kendrick Perkins. "I didn’t put that pressure on myself, but I felt that people put pressure on me to be who Kendrick was," Green said. "We were two different people and players, and I don’t think people understood that. This was one of the true Celtics who was leaving, and they figured since I was coming in that I was going to be the same. But we’re two different players, two different personalities."
Atlantic Notes: Martin, Nets, Raptors, Alabi
One day after the Atlantic's five teams went 4-1 – only the slumping Sixers failed to pick up a victory – the Knicks will look to continue the division's winning ways against the Thunder at Madison Square Garden tonight. As we look forward to that game, let's check out a few notes from around the division….
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com isn't sure why Kenyon Martin has only played five minutes in his first six games with the Knicks. Martin is on his second 10-day contract, so if he's going to remain with the team beyond his current deal, he should be included in an expanded version of the rotation, says Begley.
- Nets CEO Brett Yormark declined comment when asked about P.J. Carlesimo's performance as head coach, which Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News finds interesting.
- According to Bruce Arthur of the National Post, the Raptors' roster is "full of overstuffed contracts and puzzle pieces that won’t fit," which is reminiscent of past Raptors teams.
- With their playoff hopes on life support, the Raptors need to look the future and start playing guys like Terrence Ross and Jonas Valanciunas more, says Eric Koreen of the National Post.
- Former Raptor Solomon Alabi has signed with Ikaros Kallitheas of Greece, according to Emiliano Carchia of Sportando (via Twitter). The 7'1" center played 26 games in two seasons with the Raptors, and was in camp with the Hornets last fall.
Atlantic Rumors: Sixers, Josh Smith, Knicks, White
Rob Mahoney of SI.com took a look at 18 players on troublesome contracts, and all five Atlantic Division teams have a representative. The last-place Raptors appear to have the most problems, with Rudy Gay, Andrea Bargnani, DeMar DeRozan and Landry Fields all on the list, though the Nets, with Joe Johnson and Gerald Wallace, have multiple entries as well. Here's more from the Atlantic:
- The Sixers were one of several teams reportedly pursuing Josh Smith at the trade deadline, and John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that the Sixers were "close" to a deal with the Hawks. Philly's interest in the soon-to-be free agent dates back to last season, Mitchell also notes.
- Jerome Jordan, who spent last season with the Knicks, has been on the team's radar as he plays in the D-League this season, reports Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). Zwerling says New York can't sign him this season, though the Knicks could bring him aboard if they go against their plan to re-sign Kenyon Martin when his 10-day contract expires. New York could also waive a player on a guaranteed contract, but that seems unlikely.
- Andrew Perna of RealGM.com checks in with D.J. White, who finally made his debut for the Celtics tonight after signing a 10-day contract on February 28th. White revealed that he had opportunities to play for NBA teams before heading to China in September.
Knicks Re-Sign Kenyon Martin
TUESDAY, 11:10am: The Knicks have officially signed Martin to a second 10-day contract, according to the team (Twitter link). The deal will expire next Thursday night, at which point the Knicks would have to sign Martin for the season if they want to keep him around.
SUNDAY, 10:46am: The Knicks will re-sign Kenyon Martin to another 10-day contract after his current deal expires tomorrow night, coach Mike Woodson told reporters today, including Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link). It's likely Martin will remain with the team for the rest of the season, as Woodson indicated earlier. The 35-year-old big man joined the Knicks on February 23rd, after the team had opened up a roster spot by trading Ronnie Brewer to the Thunder.
Martin was perhaps the most prominent free agent not to sign with a team in the offseason, as he held out for an offer of better than the minimum salary. The Knicks showed interest at various points before the two sides finally agreed to terms. Martin is the first former No. 1 overall pick to sign a 10-day contract, and though the short-term, minimum-salary pact is far from what he envisioned, Martin has spoken about his gratitude for the opportunity to dispel critics who've questioned his ability to get along in a locker room.
Differences between Martin and Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro reportedly dissuaded L.A. from bringing him back this year. Last season with the Clippers, his numbers bottomed out virtually across the board, and he failed to make a start for the first time in his career. Martin has seen action in just one game for the Knicks so far, totaling five minutes.
Prigioni Unsure Of NBA Future Beyond 2012/13
At age 35, no rookie is older than Pablo Prigioni, who is playing for the NBA for the first time this season after a long career overseas. In 54 games with the Knicks, Prigioni has put up respectable numbers for a third point guard, including a .402 3PT% and a 13.6 PER. However, he tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that while he doesn't intend to retire, he's unsure whether he'll play in the NBA for more than one season.
"I will play for some team next year — where, I don’t know," Prigioni said. "It could be in the NBA. It could be the Spanish League. I need to go to the summer, take it by day-by-day and think about it. But I [will] listen to the Knicks."
Prigioni, who is earning the rookie minimum, added that when he signed with the Knicks last summer, the team asked him whether he wanted a one-year or two-year deal, and he asked for just a single year. According to Berman, the Knicks are anticipating that Prigioni may leave, and could target a replacement in this June's draft, when they'll likely be picking in the early- to mid-20s.