Atlantic Notes: Smith, Shumpert, Celtics, Bradley
The latest news and notes from around the Atlantic Division on Sunday afternoon:
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com speculates about J.R. Smith's next contract. Smith holds a $2.9MM player option with the Knicks for the 2013/14 season, and the team would be able to offer him $5.5MM via early bird rights if he declines it. Zwerling thinks Smith could command more than that on the open market, but notes that he loves playing in New York and may be inclined to take a pay cut to stay.
- Frank Isola of the New York Daily News reports that Iman Shumpert is hoping to return to the court in one to two weeks.
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday writes that the Knicks have turned the tables on their long-standing rivalry with the Celtics and now have the upper hand in the matchup.
- Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com breaks down the improvements the Celtics have made defensively since Avery Bradley has returned to the lineup.
HoopsWorld On Roster Depth
Several writers from HoopsWorld.com have posted a new roundtable column in which they examine roster depth in the NBA. Five writers have different opinions on which team is the deepest in the league:
- Eric Pincus praises the Clippers' bench, writing that contributions from reserves such as Jamal Crawford and Matt Barnes have taken pressure off stars Blake Griffin and Chris Paul to play heavy minutes. He also points out that the Clippers are off to a strong start despite continued injuries to veterans Grant Hill and Chauncey Billups.
- Alex Kennedy points out that the Spurs are getting contributions from many different non-star players, singling out Gary Neal, Tiago Splitter, and Patrick Mills among the keys to their success.
- Tommy Beer writes that the Knicks are proving detractors wrong, with veterans like Jason Kidd and Marcus Camby making a positive impact instead of letting their ages be a liability. He also says that sixth man J.R. Smith has been integral to their strong play so far.
- Bill Ingram is impressed with the way the Warriors have been able to compensate for injuries to Andrew Bogut and Brandon Rush and prove themselves competitive in the Western Conference.
- Stephen Brotherston says the Celtics are deeper than last season, although he points out that their chemistry has not gelled yet.
Odds & Ends: Draft, Amare, Varejao, Heat
Most people seem to think that Kentucky's Nerlens Noel will be the top pick in the 2013 Draft but Joe Kotoch of Sheridan Hoops believes that it's still wide open. UCLA's Shabazz Muhammad has the Bruins on a six-game winning streak following his return to action and the guard is impressing scouts with his outside shooting. Maryland center Alex Len has injected himself into the conversation with surprisingly strong play so far this season. Indiana big man Cody Zeller could even find himself in the mix with a strong finish to the 2012/13 season. Here's more from around the Association..
- Amare Stoudemire made waves this week when he said that Knicks coach Mike Woodson has him playing defense for the first time in his career, but the forward walked those comments back somewhat. Stoudemire told reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post, that he meant it as a compliment to Woodson and not a shot at former coach Mike D'Antoni.
- Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun (on Twitter) thinks that the Cavaliers might have to give some more thought to moving Anderson Varejao given the strong play of Tristan Thompson in his place. The Cavs' asking price for Varejao at the moment is said to be quite high.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel doesn't see free agent Kenyon Martin as the solution to the Heat's rebounding woes as they need a taller big man to help clean the glass.
- The D-League Showcase gets underway on Monday and Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside previews some of the top players auditioning for ten-day contracts. Mike James, who hooked on with the Texas Legends this week, is among the players to watch.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Magic, Vucevic, Carlesimo
Lakers coach and former Knicks boss Mike D'Antoni was a little thrown by Amare Stoudemire's recent assertion that he was never taught defense before this year, as Newsday's Al Iannazzone documents. D'Antoni, who coached Stoudemire in New York and Phoenix, said he didn't think Stoudemire meant to be malicious, but still found the comment "mind-boggling" and implied that Stoudemire threw him and his assistant coaches with the Knicks under the bus. Here's more from around the Eastern Conference.
- We heard earlier today that the Magic, unsurprisingly, will not try to sign Dwight Howard in the offseason, and Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel reports that the team isn't interested in acquiring fellow Dan Fegan client DeMarcus Cousins, either.
- Schmitz also writes that Nikola Vucevic is off the market unless a team "blows away" the Magic with a proposal (and a Cousins offer wouldn't qualify). Still, Schmitz wonders if Orlando could swap him for a marquee talent when he gets closer to the end of his rookie deal in 2015.
- HoopsWorld's Yannis Koutroupis checks in with Nets interim coach and former Spurs assistant P.J. Carlesimo, who has admiration for the San Antonio model but doesn't think it's one that can be applied in Brooklyn.
- In a video attached to the same piece, Nets swingman MarShon Brooks, who's been seeing more playing time under Carlesimo, predictably gives the coach his stamp of approval, and brushes off trade rumors.
- Former Raptors small forward Gary Forbes had his sights set on an eventual return to the NBA when he signed with the Zhejiang Guangsha Lions in China in November, but his next move will be to Puerto Rico, where he'll play for Atleticos de San German, reports Manolo Rodriguez of Tiro Al Blanco (translation via Sportando).
Atlantic Links: Amare, Novak, Williams, Celtics
With tipoff at the Garden for Spurs-Knicks scheduled for 7:30ET, Mike Woodson announced a shake up in the starting lineup, plugging Marcus Camby into the power forward spot previously held by Kurt Thomas (via Ian Begley on Twitter). Here is all the other news coming out of the Atlantic on Thurday:
- In an Insider-only piece, Chris Broussard of ESPN tackles the Amare Stoudemire conundrum in New York by asking five NBA minds – three assistant coaches and two longtime scouts – what the Knicks should do now that their enigmatic power forward is back. The consensus is that Stoudemire should come off the bench initially, but as he gets healthier the opinions vary as to whether his game and mindset are up for becoming a complimentary piece on a title contender.
- For those into NBA metrics, Henry Abbott at ESPN offers an interesting take on how it could be that the Knicks Steve Novak could have the same defensive rating as dominant defensive center Tyson Chandler, and most important, what it means with regard to statistics.
- Kirk Goldsberry of Grantland analyzes what it is to be an "attack guard" in today's NBA, and in turn reveals what has been a key factor in the decline of Nets point guard Deron Williams. Goldsberry writes that Williams has not all of a sudden become a worse shooter, but is instead more often settling for longer shots. Williams has never been a great shooter and with his ability to attack the rim declining, it has put more emphasis on his mediocre stroke.
- Despite their 14-17 start, Danny Ainge remains optimistic that the Celtics will come around as currently constructed, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston. Ainge is looking forward to the return of Avery Bradley and says the new faces have not been the sole reason for their slow start. Jimmy Toscano of CSN New England offers a few additional quotes from Ainge that imply that the right talent and coach are in place – it is merely up to the players now. It is worth mentioning that last year, the Celtics sat at 15-17 after a 5-game losing streak, only to finish the season on a 24-10 tear and capture the Atlantic division title.
Amick On Warriors, Shumpert, Lillard, Kings
In his Thursday morning edition of A to Z at USA Today, Sam Amick speaks to Warriors co-owner Joe Lacob about his team's first-half success and looks into the Kings' decision to pass on Damian Lillard last June, among other topics. Let's dive right in and check out what Amick has for us….
- Asked about the possibility of making a trade to further upgrade the Warriors' lineup, Lacob tells Amick that the club is taking things one game at a time for now, and that if Andrew Bogut comes back healthy before the deadline, "it's sort of like you made a trade." Still, Golden State intends to be opportunistic, so if a potential deal arises, the team will certainly consider it.
- Lacob also praised the work of GM Bob Myers, singling out the signings of Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry as moves that have made a big impact so far.
- Lacob expects it'll be another year and a half before the Warriors "get all the approvals" for their eventual move to San Francisco.
- While the Knicks are happy to have Amare Stoudemire back in the rotation, Amick suggests Iman Shumpert is the player New York needs more right now. The young guard tells Amick that he expects to return in "January or February."
- According to Amick, one reason why the Kings drafted Thomas Robinson over Lillard at No. 5 overall last June was the front office's uncertainty about whether ownership would be willing to pony up the money for a long-term deal for Jason Thompson. While Sacramento was happy to land Robinson, who was viewed as a safe selection, there was also "strong support" for Lillard among the front office and scouting staff.
- Amick notes that the Celtics and Jazz are two teams worth keeping an eye on as the trade deadline approaches. In the past, Boston has been aggressive about adding future pieces even when the team has been winning, which it's not doing right now. As for Utah, the Jazz have a number of expiring contracts and other assets and could be sellers if they continue to play sub-.500 ball.
Knicks Updates: Amare, Sheed, Shumpert
The latest chatter around the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening:
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes that Amare Stoudemire, once considered the Knicks' franchise player, is now buying into a team run by Carmelo Anthony.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the injury to Rasheed Wallace has had a major impact on the Knicks, with head coach Mike Woodson expressing the veteran's importance.
- Iman Shumpert is going through some light drills, although there is no update on when he is expected to be able to resume five-on-five activities.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, D-Will, Bynum, Stoudemire
The Atlantic Division was expected to be the strongest in the Eastern Conference, and perhaps even in the NBA, this season. So far though, only the 21-10 Knicks have exceeded expectations. The Nets, Sixers, Celtics, and Raptors are a combined 56-68, putting the division one game below .500 as a whole. Here's the latest out of the underachieving Atlantic:
- As we've heard before, the Nets are targeting Phil Jackson for their head coach opening, and are expected to launch their pursuit of Jackson soon. However, if they can't persuade the Zen Master to come to Brooklyn, the Nets may wait until the offseason to find a permanent solution for the position, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (Twitter links).
- Current Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo doesn't want to see struggling point guard Deron Williams put so much pressure on himself, as he tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News: "I think a lot of it is the reality of what has happened to our franchise this year. It would be hard to overstate how dramatically different the franchise, the team, the expectations, the focus, everything is this year compared to last year. And he’s in the middle of the whole thing. So it’s been a big challenge. I think it’s important for me to not let him think it all revolves around him."
- Asked whether there had been any progress in Andrew Bynum's recovery, Sixers GM Tony DiLeo told reporters, including Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News, that there was no news at the moment. Cooney expects an update from the team next week.
- Lang Greene's NBA AM piece at HoopsWorld is particularly Atlantic-heavy, focusing on Avery Bradley's return to the Celtics, Amare Stoudemire's 2012/13 debut for the Knicks, and Jrue Holiday's All-Star chances.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com also takes a look at Stoudemire's first game back with the Knicks, including Carmelo Anthony's assertion that he and Stoudemire have to focus on "not listening to what everybody has to say" about the duo's ability to play together.
Eastern Notes: Bobcats, Rose, Garnett, Knicks
According to a tweet from FoxSportsOhio.com's Sam Amico, the Bobcats might be preparing to make an offer for Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.
- According to Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, Derrick Rose is conducting non-contact drills in practice with his team, but is nowhere near returning to game action, writes ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell.
- Celtics center Kevin Garnett discusses myriad of issues with Yahoo! NBA reporter Marc J. Spears.
- The Knicks are anxiously awaiting the return of several key players, including Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert, writes USA Today's Sam Amick.
- According to the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins, the Magic are on pace to set an NBA record for free-throws attempted per game.
- Pacers guard Lance Stephenson is having a productive season in an expanded role, and it's a good thing Indiana didn't let him go, writes IndyStar.com's Mike Wells.
Atlantic Rumors: Knicks, Johnson, Brooks
While much of the attention across the NBA has been focused on the struggles of the Nets, they're not the only Atlantic Division team performing below expectations this year. The prevailing wisdom entering the season was that the Atlantic would be the league's toughest division, but entering tonight, only the Knicks had a winning record. Here's more from what might be called the NBA's most disappointing division so far.
- The Knicks, who are at the 15-man roster limit, aren't in the market for another point guard in the wake of Raymond Felton's injury, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- On Thursday, Avery Johnson thought he and Nets GM Billy King were going to talk about the team's plans for January 15th, when Kris Humphries becomes eligible to be dealt. Instead, King told Johnson he was fired, as Stefan Bondy recounts via Twitter.
- It's unclear how long P.J. Carlesimo will remain interim coach of the Nets, but his presence likely means more minutes for MarShon Brooks, TNT's David Aldridge tweets. Brooks' name has come up as a trade candidate, and he was reportedly among the most disgruntled players in the team's locker room under Johnson.
- Doc Rivers' ability to withstand a pair of sub-.500 seasons before the Celtics went after talent and won the title in 2008 skewed expectations for coaches in similar positions, like Mike D'Antoni with the Knicks and Avery Johnson with the Nets, opines Michael Lee of The Washington Post.
- Speaking on CSNNE.com's SportsNet Central, Chris Mannix of SI.com advocates a Pau Gasol deal for the Celtics. Boston has had interest in the Lakers big man in the past, but appears to have cooled on him since.