Knicks, Lakers Inquire On Jonny Flynn
The Knicks and Lakers have contacted the Rockets to ask about Jonny Flynn, according to Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Broussard adds that the Knicks mentioned Renaldo Balkman and Mike Bibby as trade chips, but that the Rockets weren't interested, and no moves are imminent.
The Lakers and Knicks are known to be seeking point guard help. Steve Blake is still recovering from a broken rib, meaning the Lakers are relying heavily on Derek Fisher and rookie Andrew Goudelock. For the Knicks, Baron Davis has been sidelined all season with a back injury and suffered another setback today, leaving Jeremy Lin to start at the point tonight. Both clubs are thought to have interest in Cavs point guard Ramon Sessions.
Flynn, a former Timberwolves lottery pick, has seen less action than ever in Houston this year, having played just 81 minutes in seven games. The Syracuse product has struggled with turnovers throughout his NBA career, recording an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.57 in his three seasons. Flynn is in the last year of his contract, earning $3.41MM this season.
Kyler On Nash, Howard, D’Antoni
In an NBA AM piece for HoopsWorld, Steve Kyler shares a few updates on some trade candidates and a coach on the hot seat. Let's check out the highlights….
- Suns sources indicate they're open to a two-year extension for Steve Nash at the end of the season. Nash could earn more money by staying in Phoenix than he could by signing elsewhere, so that could be a reason he and his agent haven't expressed any desire for a trade.
- The Lakers have always been behind the Nets and Mavericks on Dwight Howard's list of preferred destinations, according to Kyler. Howard views the Nets as Plan A, with the Lakers, Mavericks, and Magic as backup plans, Kyler hears.
- The Magic, who could offer Howard significantly more money than any other team this summer if they keep him, still believe they can retain their star center. Until Howard makes it unquestionably clear that he'll leave in free agency, the Magic won't feel obligated to move him.
- Although the Knicks probably need to replace Mike D'Antoni, there's no clear candidate to step in for him, says Kyler. An outside replacement is unlikely during the season, and none of the in-house candidates would represent a clear upgrade.
Atlantic Notes: J.R. Smith, Lopez, Allen
Awful news out of Florida to start the week, as TMZ reports Amare Stoudemire's older brother was killed in a car crash this morning. Stoudemire is en route to Florida to be with his family, and will miss tonight's game against the Jazz. Our condolences go out to Amare and his family.
Here are the morning items out of the Atlantic division:
- The Knicks may have the advantage when J.R. Smith becomes an unrestricted free agent, says Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times. New York can offer Smith more money than other suitors like the Clippers, along with a possible starting spot.
- Carmelo Anthony told reporters, including ESPNNewYork's Ian Begley, that he thinks Smith could handle New York and that he'd like to see the Knicks sign the former Nugget: "If it happens, it happens and I'll be happy."
- There's no timetable for Brook Lopez's return from his foot surgery, but his rehab is going well and he could return to practice soon, according to Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. The Nets could use a healthy Lopez not only on the court, but also as a potential trade chip to acquire Dwight Howard.
- Lavoy Allen has become a valuable asset for the 76ers in the wake of multiple frontcourt injuries, writes Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News.
Atlantic Links: Garnett, Williams, Jeffries
Here's a few links to what's been going on in the Atlantic Division over the weekend.
- Tim Bontemps of the New York Post points to the Nets' pick and roll defense as a main reason in why they lost to the Knicks last night. "It's something they have struggled with time and again all season long. When you break down their defense using advanced stats, the best part of their defense actually is defending the ball handler in the pick-and-roll (16th overall in the league at 0.8 points per possession). But it's the roll man that constantly kills them."
- After New York's win, Mike D'Antoni said that Jared Jeffries played his best game of the season, according to Jared Zwerling of ESPN NewYork. Jeffries finished the game with nine points and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes of action.
- After defeating the Grizzlies 98-80 on Sunday afternoon, A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com writes that Kevin Garnett's 24 point, nine rebound performance was especially crucial for the Celtics because of backup power forward Brandon Bass' injury.
- New Jersey Nets point guard Deron Williams has had an uncharacteristically inconsistent year so far. Jake Appleman of the New York Times gives an in-depth account of Williams' battle with Jeremy Lin.
J.R. Smith Rumors: Sunday
Former Denver Nuggets shooting guard J.R. Smith looks to return to the NBA after a stint in China with the Zhejiang Golden Bulls. Smith, 25, has received attention from numerous NBA teams with the Los Angeles Clippers and the New York Knicks among his strongest suitors. As stated by Smith in a tweet on Friday, he would be excited to see what kind of pick-and-roll tandem he and Amare Stoudemire could form at the Garden.
- According to Marc Berman of The New York Post, beleaguered Knicks head coach Mike D'Antoni isn't hiding the fact that the Knicks desperately need another shooter and view Smith as an ideal candidate to fill such a role for the 9-15 squad. The Knicks can offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception but will have to waive a player upon signing him.
- Picking an opportune time for a career-high 25 points and seven dimes, Jeremy Lin can rest assured that he would not be a roster casualty if Smith signs with New York.
- After recently signing free agent Kenyon Martin to a contract, the Clippers may turn to Smith in an effort to add depth off the bench as they attempt to make a run at a top seed in the Western Conference. The Clippers no longer have the payroll flexibility to offer Smith the $2.5MM mini mid-level exception after giving it Martin and would have to sign the former Hornet for the veteran's minimum.
- For those wondering about the impact the eighth-year player out of New Jersey has made in China, Smith lit up the scoreboard with 60 points during a CBA game last week.
Knicks Notes: Point Guard, Lin, D’Antoni
The New York Knicks, searching for answers all season long, appeared to have found one–at least for a night–in their win over the New Jersey Nets. Here is a bit more on the Knicks:
- Charles Barkley points out the Knicks need a point guard, writes Al Iannazzone of Newsday, who gives a quick rundown on the point guards currently on the roster.
- Personally, I think Ramon Sessions is an intriguing option for the Knicks.
- Of course, they may have already had one one the roster writes Ian Begley of ESPN New York following Jeremy Lin's 25-point, nine-assist performance.
- It's Lin-sanity! reports Frank Isola of the New York Daily News, who thinks Lin could see time in the starting lineup until Baron Davis returns.
- Perhaps tonight's Lin-inspired performance is why Mike D'Antoni never thought to panic amid speculation about his job security (via ESPN New York's Ian Begley).
Odds & Ends: Noel, D’Antoni, Smith, Lopez, Russell
The Knicks suffered another tough loss last night as they fell to the Celtics, 91-89. Here's more on New York and other items from around the league..
- Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak doesn't regret trading Lamar Odom to the Mavericks in December, writes Ben Bolch of the Los Angeles Times.
- Kyle Singler isn't sure if he'll play for the Pistons next season, writes Justin Rogers of MLive.com. The Duke product, who was taken in the second round by Detroit in 2011, says he's enjoying his time with Real Madrid in Spain.
- Cathal Kelly of the Toronto Star asked Andrea Bargnani if he'll consider leaving the Raptors at the end of his deal in 2015. The former No. 1 overall pick said that he has made it "pretty clear" that he wants to remain in Toronto.
- Chauncey Billups recruited Kenyon Martin heavily to join the Clippers, tweets J. Michael Falgoust of USA Today. Martin and Billups are both represented by agent Andy Miller.
- Massachusetts high school center Nerlens Noel now appears to be in line for the 2013 NBA Draft rather than 2014 after reclassification, writes Adam Zagoria for Sheridan Hoops. Earlier this week, Noel told Dave Telep of ESPN.com that he's now set to graduate with the class of '12 rather than '13. The center now projects as the top pick in the 2013 draft according to DraftExpress.com.
- Despite uncertainty surrounding his job, Knicks coach Mike D’Antoni will not be fired today despite back-to-back, last-second losses to the Bulls and Celtics, NBA sources tell Marc Berman of the New York Post.
- Even though the Knicks were linked to Kenyon Martin, the guy that they've really had their eye on is J.R. Smith, writes Moke Hamilton of Sheridan Hoops. Smith said to be considering five teams, including New York. The Clippers are also in that group but they can only make Smith a minimum offer after agreeing to sign Martin using their room exception.
- Six weeks after undergoing surgery on his right foot, Nets center Brook Lopez still isn't sure when he'll be able to return, writes Colin Stephenson of the Star-Ledger. The Nets will likely need a healthy Lopez in order to put together a package for Orlando's Dwight Howard.
- Friday marks the league deadline for teams to either release players with non-guaranteed contracts or guarantee their deals for the rest of the season. Pistons 29-year-old rookie Walker Russell is making a strong case to stay with Detroit, writes David Mayo of MLive.com.
J.R. Smith Considering Five Teams
It doesn't appear he'll receive the same early clearance Kenyon Martin did, but J.R. Smith is already mulling where he'll sign when he returns from China. According to Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv, Smith is considering the Knicks, Clippers, Lakers, Thunder, and Bulls.
Those five teams have varying amounts of money left to spend on free agents. Since the Clippers agreed to sign Martin using their room exception, they could only make Smith a minimum offer. The Lakers are in the same boat. The Bulls have their $1.9MM bi-annual exception available, and the Knicks still have their $2.5MM room exception. The Thunder have the most money available, with about $4.5MM of their mid-level exception remaining. According to Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld, the Spurs also have some interest in Smith, though it's not clear if he'd consider signing in San Antonio.
The 26-year-old Smith signed a one-year deal to play for China's Zhejiang Golden Bulls during the NBA lockout. He isn't expected to be allowed to sign an NBA contract until his team's season ends, which could happen as early as mid-February. Smith's stock certainly hasn't dropped at all in China — he dropped 60 points in a game earlier this week to increase his season scoring average to 33.9 points per game, according to Sportando.
Odds & Ends: Morris, Hibbert, Knicks, Bulls
A few odds and ends for Friday afternoon:
- The Rockets have assigned Marcus Morris to the Rio Grande Valley Vipers, their D-League affiliate, tweets Mark Berman of FOX 26 Houston.
- Roy Hibbert's play over the rest of the season could drive up his price tag for the cost-conscious Pacers, as this RealGM.com report suggests.
- Playing against the Knicks, Derrick Rose showed New York exactly the kind of player they need, says Ken Berger of CBSSports.com.
- Sam Smith answers readers' questions in a Bulls.com mailbag, and many of them surround around a possible Dwight Howard trade.
- Speaking of Howard, Michael Lee of the Washington Post says D12 will have to live with "the inevitable backlash" of his trade demand in Orlando. Check out the rest of today's Howard updates here.
- In an Insider piece, Chad Ford of ESPN.com runs through teams with a chance at the second overall pick and predicts whether they'd select Harrison Barnes, Andre Drummond, or Michael Kidd-Gilchrist. The team with the first pick is expected to select Kentucky's Anthony Davis, of course.
Odds & Ends: J.R. Smith, Powe, Celtics, Redd
Here are a few Thursday links of note from around the NBA:
- The Knicks have more interest in J.R. Smith than they have in Kenyon Martin, tweets Howard Beck of the New York Times. If Smith's CBA team doesn't make the playoffs, he could make his way back to America in a couple weeks.
- Leon Powe has talked to the Bulls, and may be a backup plan if Chicago doesn't land Joel Przybilla, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune.
- The Celtics have discussed sending JaJuan Johnson to the D-League, but head coach Doc Rivers tells A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com that it won't happen anytime soon.
- Early-season signee Michael Redd is still trying to get comfortable on the floor with the Suns, writes Paul Coro of the Arizona Republic.
- In an NBA.com mailbag, Keith Langlois answers readers' questions about the Pistons, including a couple related to possible Rodney Stuckey trades.