Oklahoma City Thunder Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Western Notes: Dwight, Fisher, Jack, Maynor

December 23rd, 2012 at 1:00pm CST by Chuck Myron

Dwight Howard gave an update on his health to Sam Amick of the USA Today, saying he suffers from tingling and an occasional loss of feeling in his feet, and gave a slight hint about his plans for free agency in the summer, expressing a desire to inherit the team's leadership role from Kobe Bryant.

"But there's going to come a day where he's going to be gone, and that's when I have to step in and fill that void and take this team to the next level," Howard said. "That's why I'm here. That's why they wanted me here, and I'm going to do my job and my part to make sure this team gets there – and it starts with me."

We'll surely hear more from Howard in the coming months, but in the meantime, here's more from the Western Conference.

When he signed with the Mavs late last month, Derek Fisher had a handshake agreement with owner Mark Cuban that allowed Fisher to leave if he felt he needed to be with family, as he did when he asked Dallas to release him this week. Jeff Caplan of NBA.com has the details. Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles notes via Twitter that there's no family health issue that led Fisher to leave the team.
Fisher endured a contentious year as president of the player's union, but unless he returns to play in the NBA, it appears his tenure will soon come to an end. Fisher was at odds with other members of the union's executive committee, but as SB Nation's Tom Ziller points out, only four of the nine committee members are still in the league (Twitter link).
Jarrett Jack is satisfied with his backup role with the Warriors, and isn't putting too much thought into his unrestricted free agency next summer, as he tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld. The point guard also said he anticipated the Hornets would trade this past summer when New Orleans selected Austin Rivers with the 10th overall pick.
The HoopsWorld scribe also checks in with Thunder point guard Eric Maynor, another point guard set to become a free agent next summer.

D-League Moves: Joseph, Bazemore, Tyler

December 23rd, 2012 at 11:42am CST by Chuck Myron

We'll keep track of all the day's D-League transactions here, with the latest news at the top. Catch up on all the D-League comings and goings this season with each assignment and recall listed in this post.

The Celtics have recalled Kris Joseph from the Maine Red Claws, as Sportando's Emiliano Carchia notes via Twitter. Joseph's return to Boston isn't a surprise, as Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com noted when he was sent down yesterday that Joseph expected to travel with the Celtics on their upcoming road trip. Joseph shot just 3-for-16 last night as the Red Claws lost to the Erie BayHawks.
The Warriors announced they have sent Kent Bazemore and Jeremy Tyler to the D-League Santa Cruz Warriors. Both were sent down for one-day stints earlier this season. Neither has seen meaningful action for Golden State this year, though Tyler started 23 games for the big club as a rookie in 2011/12. Bazemore and Tyler will be around for Santa Cruz's home debut. The D-League team, which had played as the Dakota Wizards before the Warriors purchased the club this year, played its first seven games on the road this season while its arena was under construction.
The Thunder have recalled Reggie Jackson, DeAndre Liggins and Perry Jo nes III from the D-League, according to Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman (Twitter link). The Thunder have shuttled all three, along with Daniel Orton and Jeremy Lamb, back and forth between Oklahoma City and the Tulsa 66ers this year. Jackson has played particularly well in his time with the 66ers, putting up 28.0 points, 8.3 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game in three D-League contests this season, including a 37-point effort last night. Liggins is averaging 11.6 PPG, 7.6 RPG and 4.8 APG in three games with Tulsa, while Jones has played four D-League contests, posting 11.5 PPG and 5.3 RPG. Only Jackson has seen significant time with the big club, logging more than 24 minutes against the Timberwolves on Thursday.

Odds & Ends: Cousins, Thunder, Vesely, Morris

December 22nd, 2012 at 6:16pm CST by Ryan Raroque

In addtion to Steve Nash's Lakers debut tonight, another major talking point in the Pacific Division involves the Kings' suspension of DeMarcus Cousins. According to Jeff Zillgitt and Sam Amick of USA Today, a source close the team's plans says that the former Kentucky big man isn't untouchable. Jarrod Rudolph of RealGM feels that Sacramento and the Magic would benefit by exploring trade talks, as both have pieces that could help the other side (Twitter link). Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops also weighed in, offering four different scenarios in which the Kings could deal the fourth-year player. With that aside, here are some of the other notable stories we're hearing from the NBA this evening:

Jim Eichenhoffer of Hornets.com tweets that Eric Gordon has been cleared for full contact practice.
Jenni Carlson of NewsOK believes that dealing James Harden to Houston has made the Thunder a better and more fluid team, pointing to the significant increase in assist numbers by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant.
Jan Vesely has yet to earn a consistent role during a turbulent start to his second-year campaign with the struggling Wizards, writes Michael Lee of the Washington Post. “It’s tough, especially when the team is losing,” Vesely said of his current role. “Everybody try to stay positive but sometimes it’s hard. I try to practice everyday, work on my game and stay ready for my chance to play.”
Darius Morris may not be ready for a starting job, but Eric Pincus of the Los Angeles Times writes about how the Lakers' sophomore guard has found a significant role in Mike D'Antoni's rotation (Sulia link).
Two years ago and just months removed from "The Decision", Jazz guard Mo Williams (then with Cleveland) and Heat superstar LeBron James may not have necessarily been on each other's holiday greetings list. Today, Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune notes how the two former teammates had nothing but glowing remarks to say about each other heading into tonight's matchup between Utah and Miami.

D-League Moves: Jackson, Moultrie, Marshall

December 21st, 2012 at 5:35pm CST by Zachary Links

We'll round up today's D-League assignments and recalls here. Make sure to keep up with every D-League assignment and recall for the 2012/13 season with this post.

Thunder point guard Reggie Jackson has been sent to the D-League for a second-time this season, tweets Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman. His first stint was a one-day assignment earlier this month, and he registered 20 points and 11 assists in his only game with the Tulsa 66ers. The second-year Boston College product has played a limited role for Oklahoma City this year after serving as the primary backup to Russell Westbrook for a stretch last season.
The 76ers have assigned Arnett Moultrie to the Sioux Falls Sky Force of the D-League.
The Suns have recalled Kendall Marshall from the Bakersfield Jam. The 12th pick in the 2012 NBA Draft, Marshall led the D-League with 7.6 APG while he was playing for Bakersfield.
The Celtics announced that they have recalled forward Kris Joseph from the Maine Red Claws. Joseph, a 6’7" forward, appeared in seven games for the Red Claws this season and has posted averages of 20.9 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.7 assists, and 2.0 steals in 38.1 minutes per game.
The Nets announced that forward Toko Shengelia and guard Tyshawn Taylor have been assigned to the Springfield Armor of the NBA Development League. Neither rookie has seen significant playing time with the Nets so far this season. Both players will suit up for the Armor tonight. Shengelia, a practice favorite of coach Avery Johnson, was acquired from the 76ers after being drafted 54th overall in the 2012 NBA Draft. Taylor, a rookie out of Kansas, has made ten appearances on the year, scoring 13 points with three steals and two assists.

Kevin Martin Wants To Stay With Thunder

December 21st, 2012 at 11:05am CST by Zachary Links

As one of the main pieces in the James Harden swap, Kevin Martin was asked to fill some big shoes in Oklahoma City. So far this season he’s done quite well in the former Sixth Man of the Year’s slot and it’s a role that Martin can see himself playing for years to come. The guard told Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld that he wants to remain in OKC long-term.

“I get that question a lot since it’s a contract year. There are going to be teams interested over the summer, but I’m so happy right now and being with these guys has given me an extra pep in my step. It’s just fun being here. It’s a great organization and great guys. I’m happy right now,” Martin said.

Martin, 29, is averaging 15.7 PPG in 29.6 minutes while shooting 46.9% from the floor and 45.8% from beyond the arc. The guard would likely prefer to wait until the summer to discuss a new deal, as a contract extension could only cover three years while a brand new deal could go up to five years. Martin is earning $12.4MM this season.

If Monta Ellis doesn’t pull the trigger on his early termination option to leave the Bucks, Martin will be at the top prize in a soft market for shooting guards. O.J. Mayo, J.R. Smith, and Manu Ginobili are other intriguing names who could be available, as our Hoops Rumors list of 2013/14 free agents shows.

Odds & Ends: Wolves, Rockets, Stern, Thunder

December 19th, 2012 at 10:54pm CST by Zachary Links

The "Battle of the Boroughs" was all anyone wanted to talk about just a few short weeks ago, but the Nets' recent slide has taken much of the juice out of their renewed rivalry with the Knicks. Here's a glimpse around the league as the Knicks have padded their lead in the Atlantic Division..

Team and league sources confirmed to Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN that former point guard Will Conroy, who appeared in four games for the Wolves in November, will join the front office as a scout. The 30-year-old is just putting his playing career on hold for the time being and not retiring.
Commissioner David Stern spoke with Jason Friedman of Rockets.com about the All-Star Game in Houston this year, as well as other memories of his tenure and interaction with Rockets great Hakeem Olajuwon.
The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry cautions the Thunder about sacrificing too much in a trade for the Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao. One suggested deal for the forward would likely require Kendrick Perkins, Perry Jones III, and Jeremy Lamb, which would leave OKC with a thinned out bench. Mayberry is also wary of Varejao's injury history.
Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside looks at talented D-League veterans who could be impact players for NBA teams this season.

D-League Moves: Perry Jones III, Liggins, Knicks

December 19th, 2012 at 4:57pm CST by Zachary Links

We'll be keeping track of all of today's D-League comings and goings in this post. To keep up with the latest assignments and recalls, check out Hoops Rumors' 2012/13 list right here.

The Thunder announced they've assigned Perry Jones III and DeAndre Liggins to the Tulsa 66ers. It's the second time they've each been sent down. Liggins has averaged 11.7 points and 8.0 rebounds in three games for Tulsa, while Jones has put up a total of 23 points and seven rebounds in his two D-League contests.
Forwards Chris Copeland and James White have returned to the Knicks after being assigned yesterday to the D-League's Erie BayHawks, the BayHawks announced via Twitter (hat tip to Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside). Their return was expected when they were sent down, along with Amare Stoudemire, to practice with the BayHawks. Erie is in the midst of a four-day layoff, so none of the Knicks assignees saw game action.
The Pistons have brought back Khris Middleton and Kim English from the D-League, according to James Jahnke of the Detroit Free Press. Both rookies were sent down to the Fort Wayne Mad Ants a week ago. They were in the starting lineup for three games with Fort Wayne, with English putting up 18.0 points, 5.7 assists and 5.0 rebounds per contest, while Middleton posted averages of 11.0 points and 7.7 boards. Neither of them, both second-round picks this past June, have seen significant minutes for the big club in Detroit.
The Spurs announced that they have assigned Kawhi Leonard to the Austin Toros of the NBA Development League for a medical rehab assignment. Leonard has been sidelined with quadriceps tendinitis in his left knee since November 17th. Prior to the injury, Leonard appeared in nine games for the Spurs, averaging 10.6 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 2.0 SPG in 28.9 minutes. Team doctors will determine a timeline for Leonard's return after he practices with the Toros.

D-League Moves: Selby, Wroten, Plumlee, Joseph

December 17th, 2012 at 12:36pm CST by Chuck Myron

We'll keep track of all the day's D-League comings and goings with this post. Catch up on all the season's D-League movement with our roundup here.

The Grizzlies have assigned Josh Selby to the Reno Big Horns and recalled Tony Wroten from the team, Memphis announced in a press release. Selby has seen only 15 minutes of action in five games with the Grizzlies, while Wroten, a rookie, has logged even more scant playing time — eight total minutes in three games.
Miles Plumlee is back in the NBA after the Pacers recalled him from the Fort Wayne Mad Ants, the team announced via Twitter. The 6'10" Plumlee, the 26th pick in the draft this year, has appeared in just four games for a total of 16 minutes, and has been passed over in the team's big man mix in favor of Jeff Pendergraph, among others.
The Spurs have assigned Cory Joseph to the Austin Toros for the third time this season, the team announced. Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News noted via Twitter a few minutes prior to the announcement that the team planned to send the second-year guard down so he can get some playing time. He's logged 65 total minutes over nine games for the Thunder this season, averaging 2.1 points and 1.4 assists per game.
The Thunder have brought back Jeremy Lamb and Daniel Orton from their D-League assignments, the team announced via Twitter (hat tip to John Rohde of The Oklahoman). They were sent down on Friday, and both appeared in back-to-back games for the Tulsa 66ers this weekend. Lamb notched 24 and 26 points, respectively, in the two outings while Orton averaged 12.0 points and 7.0 rebounds in the pair of D-League contests. Oklahoma City has made liberal use of relaxed D-League assignment rules this season, as this represents the third time both Lamb and Orton have been sent down and recalled this year.

Aldridge On Raptors, Varejao, LeBron, Thunder

December 17th, 2012 at 12:25pm CST by Chuck Myron

TNT's David Aldridge checks in as usual on a Monday with his Morning Tip column at NBA.com, and this week's edition is full of trade rumors as talk heats up around the league. Here's a digest of Aldridge's latest scuttlebutt, with a heavy focus on the Raptors.

While Andrea Bargnani's elbow injury will keep him out for a month, delaying trade talk, one rival GM is convinced he'll eventually be leaving the Raptors, feeling as though there's no doubt GM Bryan Colangelo will trade him.
The Raptors are leery of adding another international player, according to Aldridge, which would make them reluctant to trade for Pau Gasol.
Aldridge speculates the Raptors won't deal Jose Calderon to the Lakers, and instead ship him somewhere for a draft pick to create a massive trade exception. Aldridge writes that such a trade exception would be $15.6MM, but I believe it would be closer to $10.6MM, reflecting Calderon's salary.
A league executive speculates that the Cavs will hold on to Varejao through the summer of 2014, when LeBron James can become a free agent, so they can make a pitch to their erstwhile superstar. In any case, the Cavs have set Varejao's asking price too high for other teams' tastes, as they often do with their many of their players, according to Aldridge.
Though the Thunder are reportedly content to stand pat for now, Aldridge believes they could try to move the Raptors pick they got from the Rockets in the James Harden trade, speculating that one of their targets could be Varejao.
Aldridge spoke with a GM who joins the seeming consensus that the Jazz are more likely to deal Paul Millsap than Al Jefferson. The GM believes Jefferson is a better fit with Derrick Favors.
The Bucks want an upgrade at small forward, and Aldridge thinks the team is more likely to move "one of its undersized four or oversized threes" than trade Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis.
The Wizards are open to trading one of their big men for veteran help at the point, where they're woefully thin in John Wall's absence.
The Pacers are willing to tinker, but aren't putting Paul George or George Hill on the table.
No one aside from Jrue Holiday is off-limits as the Sixers seek a big man, though it would take a lot to pry Thaddeus Young or Evan Turner from their hands.

Kyler On Varejao, Spurs, Gordon, Calderon

December 17th, 2012 at 11:32am CST by Chuck Myron

HoopsWorld's Steve Kyler took to Twitter to reveal the career-threatening nature of Al Harrington's staph infection, and he also let loose with plenty of trade rumors along the way. We'll round up the juiciest tidbits here (all links via Twitter).

The Spurs asked the Cavs about Anderson Varejao, but talks didn't proceed too far.
The Hornets expect Eric Gordon back around Christmas, and aren't biting on any trade offers.
The Raptors would be a willing partner in a trade that sends Jose Calderon to the Lakers, but Kyler isn't sure the purple-and-gold would be interested.
Kyler hears Kevin Love "isn't remotely available," echoing what Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio wrote over the weekend, in spite of Love's critical comments about the Wolves last week.
The Thunder, at a league-best 19-4, are understandably pleased with the season thus far, and they aren't looking to make any moves at the moment. As for the future, a strong playoff run could drive up Kevin Martin's price in free agency this summer, Kyler believes.