Odds & Ends: Christmas, Dumars, Knicks, Green
A quick look around the league at some interesting notes on this Monday evening.
- CSNNE.com's A. Sherrod Blakely reports that Celtics guard Dionte Christmas is on the "inside track" for a roster spot with the team.
- Yahoo! NBA reporter Adrian Wojnarowski has a feature on Hall of Fame Pistons general manager Joe Dumars, and how his rebuilding of a franchise he once led to a title is closer to being completed than most people think.
- Lamar Odom has been the definition of a x-factor these last few years. ESPNLA.com's Arash Markazi asks which player the Clippers will be getting.
- After signing Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis in the offseason, the Heat have stockpiled on three-point shooters, writes FoxSports.com's Chris Tomasson.
- KnicksNow.com's Jonah Bellow writes about the Knicks new backcourt trio of Jason Kidd, Pablo Prigioni, and Raymond Felton.
- It took longer to establish himself than most lottery picks, but now that Gerald Green has finally locked down a long-term contract, he wants to prove he's more than just a dunker, writes the Indianapolis Star's Mike Wells.
Eastern Notes: Blatche, Magic, Heat, Green
We rounded up a few items out of the Western Conference earlier this morning, so let's head east and check in on the Nets, Magic, Heat, and a few other teams in the Eastern Conference….
- So far in Brooklyn, Andray Blatche is enjoying being under less pressure than he was with the Wizards, as he tells Zach Braziller of the New York Post. "I have a new beginning, not as much stuff hanging over my head," Blatche said. "I can go out and play, I don’t have to think. It’s just fun."
- Josh Cohen of OrlandoMagic.com looks into the Magic's $17.8MM trade exception, pointing out that the team could use it to take on a bad contract (along with draft picks) or to land a free agent in a sign-and-trade deal next summer.
- While Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel acknowledges that there may be better candidates for a roster spot than James Jones, he finds it unlikely the Heat will keep Rodney Carney or another player over Jones, given the financial implications. In a separate piece for the Sun-Sentinel, Winderman notes that comments by coach Erik Spoelstra suggest there are two roster spots up for grabs in Miami.
- Gerald Green, who signed a three-year deal with the Pacers this summer, appreciates the opportunity he has to play in the "best league in the world" again after a few years away from the NBA. Conrad Brunner has the story and quotes from Green at ESPN 1070 The Fan.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com poses the question of who the Knicks' 15th man should be.
Atlantic Notes: Copeland, Bynum, DiLeo, Celtics
It's easy to get carried away with preseason numbers, but Chris Copeland's 21 points in 19 minutes for the Knicks last night might have been enough to earn the training camp invitee a spot on the regular season roster, Mark Berman of the New York Post thinks (Sulia link). Mychel Thompson still has a shot to beat Copeland out, Berman believes, but John Shurna lacks strength and is a longshot to avoid getting cut. As we continue to size up just who will be around on opening night, here's the latest from the Atlantic Division.
- Even without Andrew Bynum, out with a bone bruise on his right knee, the Sixers are a better team this year than last, argues Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer believes the shortcomings of Rockets GM Daryl Morey, who makes heavy use of analytics, demonstrate why the Sixers were smart to go with Tony DiLeo as GM instead of a numbers guy.
- Celtics basketball operations president Danny Ainge has made it clear to coach Doc Rivers that he wants to see significant minutes from the team's rookies this season, as Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald writes.
- The Celtics are in the midst of three games in four days, and Rivers said the team may begin to pare down its 18-man roster once this busy stretch is done, Bulpett notes.
Eastern Rumors: Harris, Novak, Valanciunas
Either the Celtics or a team with LeBron James or Dwyane Wade on the roster has won the Eastern Conference title every year since 2006, with the exception of 2009, when Dwight Howard and the Magic broke through. With D12 in L.A., it seems the path is clear for the Celtics and Heat to once again battle for Eastern supremacy, though there's a lot that could happen between now and June. Until then, here's the latest from around the East.
- Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald figures guard Terrel Harris' endorsement deal with Peak, a shoe company with promotional ties to the Heat, means he's a safe bet to make the opening-night roster. Harris has no guarantee on his minimum-salary deal.
- Steve Novak, a Wisconsin native who went to Marquette, explained his choice of the Knicks over the Bucks in free agency to the New York Post's Marc Berman. "We talked several times when I’ve been a free agent. I never know for sure at what level," Novak said of the Bucks. "But no, I wanted to be back. If I could choose Milwaukee or New York, hands down, New York. It’s the truth."
- Doug Smith of the Toronto Star disagrees with a scout who thought Raptors rookie Jonas Valanciunas looked "soft" and "scared" in a preseason game this week.
- Nets guard Joe Johnson says he's eager to share the ball with Deron Williams and get away from the "iso-Joe" style of play that placed the offensive load on his shoulders when he was with the Hawks, writes Howard Beck of The New York Times.
- John Denton of Magic.com delves into Nikola Vucevic's rich basketball bloodlines, a pedigree that Magic coach Jacque Vaughn believes will serve him well as he attempts the Herculean task of replacing Howard at center.
Lawrence On Josh Smith, White, Lin, Nets, Cuban
Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News shares tidbits from around the league in his Saturday roundup, and this time several of them have to do with the Hawks and Rockets. We'll hit the highlights here.
- Josh Smith has informed the Hawks he isn't going to sign an extension during the season, according to Lawrence. That's in line with a report last month from Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that Smith and the team were unlikely to agree to an extension. Smith's stance makes sense, considering he could get five years if he re-signs with Atlanta next summer and only three if he signs an extension. In that same report, Vivlamore said Smith is open to a long-term future with the Hawks.
- The Hawks were one of several teams that weren't considering drafting Royce White because of his psychological disorders, Lawrence says, predicting the Rockets will look to trade White if fellow rookie Jeremy Lamb continues to impress.
- Lawrence argues that Jeremy Lin's knee, which has been slow to recover, is just another sign that the Rockets overpaid for the point guard with a three-year, $25.124MM offer sheet the Knicks declined to match.
- When Avery Johnson interviewed for the Hawks head coaching job in 2010, he said he'd only take the gig if the team intended to re-sign Joe Johnson. The pair, who aren't related, are now together with the Nets.
- Nearly a year after a sign-and-trade that sent him to the Knicks, Tyson Chandler still has hard feelings for Mavs owner Mark Cuban, as Lawrence notes. "He never called to thank me for helping his team win the title, or wish me luck, after I decided to sign here," Chandler said. "I thought he would call me, but he never did."
Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Novak, Sixers, Bynum
Sam Amico of FOXSportsOhio.com writes that a few underrated veteran pickups and smart draft picks may be all that Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Rajon Rondo need to be contenders once again in 2012/13. While Pierce just turned 35 and Kevin Garnett is a 36-year-old with extra mileage, it's hard to overlook their free agent pickups like Jason Terry and Courtney Lee. It also helps that the Celtics will have Jeff Green return from his heart issue and Avery Bradley back from shoulder problems. Here's more from the Atlantic Division..
- Knicks guard Steve Novak was sorry to see Jeremy Lin leave, but he is now comfortable with the point guards he has, writes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Even though he's happy playing with Jason Kidd and Raymond Felton, Novak did add that he wishes things worked out differently with Lin.
- After relying on Ryan Hollins and Greg Stiemsma for critical backup minutes at center in last year's playoffs, the Celtics have added some much needed size this summer, writes Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. Many are hoping that Doc Rivers can be the coach to finally tap the potential of Darko Milicic, who figures to see serious minutes off the bench in support of Boston's bigs.
- This year's incarnation of the Sixers is a major step up from last season's, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. Andrew Bynum obviously represents the club's biggest improvement, but the club also gained quite a bit with their newfound flexibility.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Terry, Richardson, DeRozan
Yesterday we heard about the extensive Atlantic Division fallout from the Dwight Howard/Andrew Bynum trade, which at this point, seems like it will have ramifications in every corner of the NBA. The Atlantic has to be the NBA's most interesting division heading into the season. With the Sixers facing the Nets in Atlantic City tomorrow night, let's look at some other news from the division:
- We mentioned Doc Rivers' comments regarding Jason Terry earlier below, and Greg Payne from ESPN Boston has more. According to Rivers, Terry could start for the Celtics, Payne says. While they targeted him with a sixth man role in mind, Rivers is keeping all of his options open. Terry, of course, says he is ready for any role the team needs him in.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPN New York had a Knicks chat today (transcript here). Among the topics discussed, Zwerling said that he considers Raymond Felton a better fit for the Knicks than the departed Jeremy Lin. With an aging roster, it's doubtful that we see much that matters from their regulars in preseason.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers says that free agent acquisition
Jason Terry, "filled a need," according to a CSN New England staff
report. Terry's new teammates all seem to be pretty happy with the
addition of their new sixth man, but no one's endorsement was quite as
strong as that of Rivers: "When you think about the history of the
Celtics and the great sixth man, he's been that in Dallas and he wants
to be that with the Celtics. That makes it a little easier to coach." - Trade acquisition Jason Richardson talked to Bill Ingram of Hoopsworld (via video)
about the new-look Sixers. Richardson calls the Sixers "dark horses"
that have slipped under the radar in terms of title contention.
Richardson says along with himself, the additions Dorell Wright and Nick
Young are key considering that Andrew Bynum is best utilized if
surrounded by shooters. - DeMar DeRozan has the look of a complete player so far this preseason, writes Doug Smith
of the Toronto Star. DeRozan has tons of athletic ability and has
shown a propensity to score in his first three seasons in the NBA.
According to Smith, DeRozan has bulked up and shown a willingness to
defend this fall, which has been a definite weakness in his game. With
the additions of Kyle Lowry, Terrence Ross, Landry Fields and Jonas
Valanciunas, if DeRozan can make the leap, there may be some hope for
the Raptors despite being in a loaded division.
Odds & Ends: Van Gundy, Magic, Valanciunas
Former Magic coach Stan Van Gundy is upset that ESPN is denying that they had an agreement for him to join the network's broadcasting team this year, he told Dan LeBatard on 790 The Ticket radio in Miami, as Jason McIntyre of Big Lead Sports observes. Van Gundy claims ESPN pulled the offer, and sources told McIntyre that the network did so at the behest of commissioner David Stern, with whom Van Gundy has feuded in the past. Van Gundy's shadow, not to mention Dwight Howard's, still looms over Orlando, and there's more on the Magic and news from around the league on a six-game preseason night.
- The relationship between new coach Jacque Vaughn and Jameer Nelson, who had wanted Van Gundy to remain, will be critical for the Magic this season, opines Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
- A scout watching Raptors rookie big man Jonas Valanciunas described him as "soft" and "scared" to Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio (Twitter link).
- Either Iman Shumpert, when he returns from injury, or Ronnie Brewer will start at shooting guard for the Knicks this season, according to Newsday's Al Iannazzone (Sulia link).
- Suns executive Lon Babby assembled a team full of guys with much to prove, writes Dan Bickley of The Arizona Republic (via USAToday.com).
- Though he was taken 27th overall, Sixers rookie Arnett Moultrie would do well to emulate the rookie season of Lavoy Allen, the 50th pick in 2011, as he tries to crack a well-stocked frontcourt in Philadelphia, writes John Finger of CSNPhilly.com.
Atlantic Rumors: Smith Brothers, Bynum, Celtics
It's been a busy day around the league today, especially for Atlantic Division teams. Here's a roundup of the latest.
- Chris Smith, who needs patella tendon surgery that will keep him out for three to six months, isn't sure exactly how the injury happened, and had been confident he'd make the Knicks, he tells Mark Berman of the New York Post. Berman, who says there's speculation that Chris' older brother J.R. re-signed with the Knicks for less money on the condition Chris would make the team, reports coach Mike Woodson won't rule out keeping a roster spot open for the younger Smith. Still, such a move would be "highly unlikely," Berman says.
- Sixers GM Rod Thorn emailed Tom Moore of PhillyBurbs.com to deny a report by Howard Eskin of Fox 29 in Philadelphia suggesting the Lakers withheld information about Andrew Bynum's condition before sending him to the Sixers. Bynum is recovering from a bone bruise in his left knee, but the big man says he thinks he'll be ready to play on opening night. Moore points out that Bynum passed a physical after the trade.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers is thinking about using three different starting lineups during the season, writes Mark D'Amico of Celtics.com.
- Keith Schlosser of Knicks Journal wonders which of the Knicks' multitude of aging veterans will hold up best.
Injury Updates: Roy, Dirk, Smith, Hill, Nene
Injury news isn't usually our focus here at Hoops Rumors, but with updates today relating to recent free agent signees, roster hopefuls, and NBA superstars, there's too many updates of note not to pass them along. Here's the latest on the injury statuses of a number of players around the league….
- In an appearance on KFAN in Minneapolis, Brandon Roy said that his knees are holding up great following his first few "grueling practices" with the Timberwolves (link via Sports Radio Interviews).
- According to Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News, Dirk Nowitzki is fighting knee issues for the second straight year. Nowitzki is hoping a few days of rest will help, but if the problem doesn't improve, it sounds as if he's prepared to undergo a minor procedure: "We’ll see how it responds, but the longer we wait, obviously the worse it is. If we have to do something, it’d be better to do it quick…. But we’re still hopeful that this is a temporary thing. If we relax and rest it for a week and see how it goes, then we’ll have a better idea."
- Knicks camp invitee Chris Smith will undergo patella surgery and miss three to six months, tweets Marc Berman of the New York Post. According to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com (via Twitter), Smith was considered a strong candidate to make the team, so his injury could clear a spot for another player to become the Knicks' 15th man.
- Jordan Hill, who re-signed with the Lakers this summer, won't need surgery for a herniated disc in his back and should be ready to play in the team's regular-season opener, reports Adrian Wojnarnowski of Yahoo! Sports.
- Wizards coach Randy Wittman couldn't offer a timetable for the return of Nene, as he told Michael Lee of the Washington Post: "All I do is each morning, I come in, I ask the trainer who I got, who I don’t have. And that’s all I can worry about right now. I write down who I got and we formulate a practice plan and we come out here. And I’ll come back tonight and see who I got and who I don’t got. That’s my update."