Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Sheed, Martin, Bynum
The latest news and notes from around the Atlantic Division:
- Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com writes that the Knicks chose not to waive Rasheed Wallace because they want him to have the option to come back in time for the playoffs.
- Marc Berman of the New York Post tweets that head coach Mike Woodson believes Wallace's surgery was successful and there is a chance he could still play this season.
- Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida notes that Kenyon Martin is the first top overall pick in NBA history to sign a 10-day contract.
- Ric Bucher of CSN Bay Area reports that Andrew Bynum's knees have a degenerative condition.
Odds & Ends: D-Will, Kenyon, Blake, Thunder
The Magic have given a higher percentage of their minutes to players who weren't on their roster last season than any other team in the league, notes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Orlando has given 66% of its minutes to newcomers, while the Rockets are second, with 64% of their minutes going to players who weren't with them in 2011/12. Both clubs made a blockbuster deal before the season, and both were involved in smaller swaps at the trade deadline, further altering their compositions. Here's more on players coming and going from around the league:
- Bill Ingram of HoopsWorld revists Deron Williams' choice of the Nets over the Mavericks, opining that Dallas wouldn't have been a playoff team this year even with D-Will. Ingram also caught up with J.J. Redick and Stan Van Gundy.
- Kenyon Martin didn't play in tonight's game and has only seen five minutes of action more than halfway through his 10-day contract, but as Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com observes, Knicks coach Mike Woodson indicated the team is likely to keep him around after his current deal expires. "Kenyon's not going nowhere, he's here," Woodson said (Twitter link).
- Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors identified him as an amnesty candidate earlier today, but as Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com chronicles, Blake has recently been playing some of his best ball as a member of the Lakers.
- The Oklahoman's Berry Tramel, with the help ofSalary Cap FAQ contributor Jon Hamm, examines the Thunder's payroll for the next few seasons and looks at how they can minimize their tax hit.
- Fellow Oklahoman scribe Darnell Mayberry praises the subtle moves the Thunder made at the deadline, and expects such tweaking to become the norm with Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook and Serge Ibaka occupying so much room on the payroll.
Atlantic Rumors: Rasheed, Collins, Sixers, Celtics
The top three teams in the Atlantic Division are separated by five and a half games, and with all three in action tonight, only the second-place Nets failed to keep pace, falling three games back of the Knicks. It was a busy day for Atlantic clubs off the court as well, and here's the latest:
- After undergoing surgery on his left foot yesterday, Rasheed Wallace could have called it a career, a possibility he contemplated in the past week, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post. However, the eight-week timetable for his return suggests Wallace and the Knicks still hope he can return during the postseason. Still, one medical expert who spoke to Berman believes Wallace will need more than eight weeks to return to 100%. Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com wonders if the Knicks will consider cutting 'Sheed to make room for another player on the roster before season's end.
- Sixers coach Doug Collins was "shocked" that his Tuesday press conference got as much media attention as it did, as Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News details. "It was interesting,"Collins said. "I went back and I said, 'Wait a second. I didn't get that I slammed them or was being kind of hard.' I thought I was just talking about what I expected, and, as a coach, that's what you do. There was nobody called out."
- Andrew Bynum's injury, which could cost him all of this season, might have an even longer-lasting effect on the Sixers, Cooney argues.
- The Celtics signed three reinforcements to their depleted squad in the past two weeks, but coach Doc Rivers doesn't expect Terrence Williams, D.J. White or Shavlik Randolph to get a lot of minutes, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald observes.
- The Rudy Gay trade and DeMar DeRozan's growth this year have left few minutes for rookie Terrence Ross, notes Frank Zicarelli of the Toronto Sun.
Luke Adams of Hoops Rumors contributed to this post.
Kings, Aaron Brooks Working On Buyout
With a few hours remaining before this season's buyout deadline, the Kings and Aaron Brooks are working on a buyout for the veteran guard, reports Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee (via Twitter). Nothing is finalized yet, according to Jones.
After being a regular part of the Kings' rotation for the first two months of the season, Brooks has received less consistent playing time since then. Head coach Keith Smart has recently been using Isaiah Thomas and Jimmer Fredette at the point, with Brooks only appearing in four games in February.
Brooks, who is earning $3.25MM this season, also has a player option worth about $3.4MM for 2013/14. If the Kings were to agree to release the 28-year-old, he'd likely have to give up that option money, as well as a little of this season's salary. Assuming the two sides can reach an agreement, the Rockets, who pursued Brooks last summer, may be interested again, tweets Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld. Kennedy adds (via Twitter) that the Knicks could be a nice fit as well, since they've been linked to Brooks in the past and were pursuing another point guard prior to the deadline.
For Brooks to be playoff-eligible for another team, the Kings would have to request waivers on him by 10:59pm CST tonight.
Bulls Frontrunners To Sign Lou Amundson
10:51pm: The Bulls are in talks to sign Amundson, tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com, who adds that a decision is expected on Friday.
8:16pm: Amundson's agent, Mark Bartelstein, acknowledges that while the Knicks are currently in the mix, his client is currently "close" to signing with another team (Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets).
1:51pm: Since being cut by the Timberwolves nearly three weeks ago, Louis Amundson has yet to find another NBA job. However, the big man tells Chris Tomasson of FOX Sports Florida that a few teams are interested in him, including the Heat, Knicks, Celtics, and Bulls.
The Heat, Celtics and Bulls all have open roster spots, while the Knicks would have to clear room on the roster to make a move. According to Amundson, New York is waiting to see how things work out with Kenyon Martin before making a decision. The Knicks could also waive Rasheed Wallace to clear a roster spot. As for the Heat, Amundson told Tomasson that there may be too much overlap between his skillset and Chris Andersen's. The Birdman recently signed with Miami for the remainder of the season.
While four Eastern Conference teams remain in the mix for Amundson, he was nearly sent to another Eastern club earlier this season. According to Amundson, a trade that would have sent him and Luke Ridnour to the Sixers for Spencer Hawes was nixed by Minnesota, out of concern that dealing Ridnour would leave the team thin at point guard while Ricky Rubio worked his way back to 100%.
Since he was released earlier in February, Amundson will be postseason-eligible for his next team even if he signs after tomorrow's buyout deadline.
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Nets, Collins, Rasheed
Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge made his weekly appearance on WEEI radio in Boston to talk about what transpired during the trade deadline as well as his thoughts on the team moving forward. Greg Payne of ESPN Boston has the highlights, including Ainge's thoughts on why Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce weren't dealt, the CBA having a significant impact on the trade deadline, the long-standing interest in Jordan Crawford, and whether or not he would have been able to convince Garnett to waive his no-trade clause. Here's more out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- Guard/forward Terrence Williams received a vote of confidence from his former coach at Louisville Rick Pitino, who tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that Williams may have possibly found the perfect situation in joining the Celtics.
- Roderick Boone of Newsday notes that Deron Williams and Joe Johnson are still trying to figure out how to mesh with one another in the Nets backcourt. Seth Walder of the New York Daily News believes that Williams' recent emergence with strong performances will be key in carrying the team for the remainder of the season, especially with Johnson recovering from injury.
- With the team's recent struggles, Matt Moore of CBS Sports wonders if Doug Collins' days as the 76ers head coach are numbered. Tom Haberstroh of ESPN (Insiders only) discusses why Philadelphia has been disappointing this season, pointing to the team's shot selection, lack of playing time for Arnett Moultrie, and the offseason departure of two key veterans.
- Marc Berman of the New York Post writes that Rasheed Wallace's decision to have surgery on his left foot instead of letting it heal on its own indicates that the 6'11 veteran plans on making a possible return during the postseason for the Knicks.
Odds & Ends: Free Agency, Kevin Martin, Nash, Magic
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld says that last week's quiet deadline could lead to a noisy offseason this year, with quite a handful of those who were rumored to be moved set to hit free agency. Kennedy provides a list of this summer's top 20 free agents along with a primer of each player's situation to boot. One interesting situation involves Oklahoma City's Kevin Martin, who has already been given the impression that the Thunder would like to keep him for the long-term. However, Kennedy opines that a strong post-season could increase the shooting guard's stock to the point where Oklahoma City may have to let him go – as they did with James Harden – if his price tag becomes too high. Here are a few more tidbits we've gathered up from the NBA this evening:
- The Pistons figure to have the task of re-signing Jose Calderon as one of their top priorities this summer, writes David Mayo of MLive.com. However, Mayo thinks that the team's lack of practice time has hindered Calderon's efforts in trying to become acclimated in Detroit.
- Channing Frye discusses the mental toughness he's developed as he continues to sit out from a heart ailment that caused him to miss the season (Stefan Swiat of Suns.com).
- While the Lakers' regular season has been disappointing so far to say the least, Steve Nash tells Sam Amick of USA Today that if given the opportunity to revisit last year's offseason: "Ten out of ten times, I make the same decision again." Nash's agent, Bill Duffy, thinks that the point guard would have considered retirement if they were unable to get a deal to Los Angeles done.
- Don't expect anyone from the Magic roster to shake free anytime soon, as Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel (via Twitter) says that the team isn't planning to buy out or waive anyone before the March 1st buyout deadline.
- Newly acquired Tobias Harris offered his thoughts on being traded to the Magic and the opportunity that lies ahead for him on a young team looking to build for the future (Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld reports).
- Current ESPN analyst and former NBA head coach Flip Saunders remains open to coaching again, whether it be in the NBA or the college ranks, writes Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune: "I'm keeping my options open…If the right situation comes along? I'll evaluate that. I want to be able to build something, want to go to a place where something can be accomplished.''
- D-League standout Henry Sims of the Erie Bayhawks could be given a chance to join the Knicks depending on how Kenyon Martin fares during his 10-day contract, notes ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling. One NBA scout thinks that Sims has played well enough to be on an NBA roster next season at the very least.
Atlantic Notes: Rivers, Williams, Martin, Raptors
With Mike Krzyzewski likely having coached in his last Olympics, there's a "near-unanimous feeling in basketball circles" that Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is the logical choice to replace him for 2016, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. But a source briefed on internal discussions regarding Coach K's replacement tells Berger that Celtics coach Doc Rivers shouldn't be ruled out.
"With Doc, I think it would keep the same chemistry going," a source told Berger. "If Pop comes in, he would want his own way of doing it – kind of the Spurs' secretive way of doing things – and out of Jerry [Colangelo]'s norm."
As Rivers and the Celtics prepare for tomorrow night's game against the Warriors, let's check in on a few other items from around the Atlantic Division:
- Former Celtics coach Rick Pitino, who coached Terrence Williams at Louisville, tells Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald that he believes Williams could be a great fit in Boston.
- Kenyon Martin isn't losing sleep over whether or not the Knicks will hang on to him beyond his first 10-day contract, as he tells Al Iannazzone of Newsday. "If what I do merits for me to be here the rest of the year, then I will be," Martin said. "And if not, then I won't. But I think the way my game is and the way I play, I'll let my play speak for itself."
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun acknowledges that it will hurt Andrea Bargnani's offseason trade value if the Raptors bench him now. However, Wolstat thinks it must be done, since Bargnani's current performance isn't helping the team or his trade value anyway.
- The Sixers helped create their current mess by sending a message to the team that Andrew Bynum was the only player who mattered, opines Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Rasheed Wallace To Undergo Surgery; Out 8 Weeks
5:49pm: Begley provides another update via Twitter, this time courtesy of Knicks head coach Mike Woodson. Woodson is hopeful that Wallace will return this season and says he hasn't given any thought to releasing the veteran to open up an additional roster spot.
12:51pm: A source tells Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (Twitter link) that the Knicks are likely to keep Wallace on the roster for the rest of the season. That would mean he'd have a chance to play in the postseason, but the Knicks wouldn't be able to open up his roster spot for an additional signing.
11:55am: Rasheed Wallace will undergo surgery on a broken bone in his left foot and will be sidelined for approximately eight weeks, the Knicks announced today in a press release. The timetable for Wallace's recovery means his regular season is over, though a postseason return isn't out of the question, if he remains on the team's roster.
After appearing in 20 games for the Knicks earlier this season, Wallace has been out of action since mid-December with foot issues. Back in January, we heard that members of the Knicks' organization were concerned that Wallace would be out for the season and were pushing for a replacement. However, Wallace and coach Mike Woodson both held out hope that the veteran big man could return.
The Knicks have since added frontcourt depth by signing Kenyon Martin, who is expected to make his debut tonight, but the club could still look into adding another body. Martin is on a 10-day contract, so one roster spot will open up when his deal expires. Wallace or another Knick could also be released in order to make room for a signing.
If Wallace doesn't return for the postseason, it's possible we've seen the last of his NBA career. The 38-year-old had been out of basketball for two seasons before he signed a minimum-salary contract with the Knicks in the fall.
Atlantic Notes: Sixers, Collins, Knicks, Celtics
We've already had plenty of news out of the Atlantic Division today, as the Knicks announced Rasheed Wallace will undergo surgery and miss the rest of the regular season, while the Sixers look to bounce back from Doug Collins' post-game rant last night. We have a few more Atlantic-related links to pass along though, so let's round them up below:
- Collins is "clearly a very good coach," but when it comes to the Sixers' roster construction and performance, he shouldn't be shifting the blame elsewhere, writes Zach Lowe of Grantland.
- Shaun Powell of Sports on Earth believes it would be very risky for the Sixers to offer Andrew Bynum more than a two-year contract in free agency this summer.
- In an Insider-only piece, ESPN.com's Kevin Pelton revisits the Knicks' summer decision to bring in Raymond Felton rather than re-signing Jeremy Lin. While Felton got off to a hot start in New York, the fact that Lin may have already pulled even suggests the current Rocket will be the better long-term choice, writes Pelton.
- Yesterday, we passed along the key quotes from Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck's WEEI appearance, in which he suggested that Boston had discussed several major deals leading up to the trade deadline. Grousbeck made a number of other interesting comments on WEEI though, including his thoughts on the new CBA and on retiring Paul Pierce's and Kevin Garnett's numbers. Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com has the details.
- In his latest mailbag for ESPNBoston.com, Forsberg also fielded questions relating to the Celtics' non-moves and 10-day signings, among other topics.