Eastern Notes: Turkoglu, Heat, Pistons, Bulls
A few Friday notes from out of the Eastern Conference….
- Turkey's Fenerbahce Ulker is hoping to add Hedo Turkoglu for the 2013/14 season, according to Can Pelister of TrendBasket.com (via Twitter). Of course, Turkoglu is still technically under contract with the Magic for next year, with half of his $12MM salary guaranteed. But while Turkoglu says he hopes to remain in Orlando, I'd expect the team to part ways with him.
- In his latest mailbag for the South Florida Sun Sentinel, Ira Winderman explores whether the Heat will still be able to convince unrestricted free agents to sign in Miami at a discounted rate going forward.
- With the Pistons officially out of the playoff hunt for 2012/13, Patrick Hayes of PistonPowered (via the Detroit Free Press) tries to determine which prospects might be good fits for Detroit in the upcoming draft.
- As Amare Stoudemire works to get healthy for the postseason, Frank Isola of the New York Daily News looks back at the Knicks' decision to give Stoudemire a fully-guaranteed, uninsured $100MM contract.
- Signing Kenyon Martin is the latest in a series of successful moves for Knicks GM Glen Grunwald, writes Moke Hamilton of SheridanHoops.com.
- Sam Smith of Bulls.com addresses a number of Bulls-related topics in today's mailbag, including whether the Bulls will trade Luol Deng this summer, or sign Ben Gordon on the cheap, should the Bobcats buy him out — neither possibility is likely, says Smith.
Odds & Ends: Turkoglu, Harrington, Henderson
It was a busy 14-game night in the NBA, but there aren't too many of these evenings left. Every team will be in action three weeks from tonight on the final day of the regular season, but after that, four playoff games is the most NBA action we'll get out of a single night until the fall. As we savor the season while it lasts, here's news from around the Association:
- Hedo Turkoglu, back from his 20-game suspension for using performance-enhancing drugs, says he hopes to stay with the Magic, but as Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel notes, he has financial incentive to say so. The Magic would only have to pay half of Turkoglu's $12MM salary next season if they waive him.
- Fellow Magic forward Al Harrington has said repeatedly this season that he wants to play five more years, but he's already making post-retirement plans, telling Chris Tomasson of Fox Sports Florida that he wants to go into broadcasting.
- Gerald Henderson is set to hit restricted free agency this summer, but says he "absolutely" wants to re-sign with the Bobcats, according to Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer (Twitter links).
- Oklahoma junior power forward Amath M'Baye is entering this year's draft field, the school announced. The 23-year-old will finish his degree requirements this spring and plans to hire an agent, so it doesn't look like he'll remove his name from consideration before the April 16th deadline. Neither ESPN's Chad Ford nor Jonathan Givony of DraftExpress have M'Baye listed among their top 100 prospects.
- Bob Young of the Arizona Republic looks at the draft prospects playing in each game of the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 this week from the perspective of the Suns, who appear squarely focused on next season.
- Metta World Peace will miss a minimum of six weeks with a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee, the Lakers revealed via press release. USA Today's Sam Amick examines the effect his absence will have on the team, noting that L.A.'s projected starting five has appeared together for just 189 minutes this season.
Odds & Ends: Turkoglu, Kings, Draft, Nocioni
Having served his 20-game suspension for a failed drug test, Hedo Turkoglu is eligible to return to action for the Magic, but the team may not have him in its short- or long-term plans, as he acknowledges to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
"I don't even know my future right now," Turkoglu said. "I don't know if I'll be here next year or not. At the end of the season, I'll be here and I'll try to do my best for these young guys and for this organization. When the summertime comes, we'll see what happens."
Here are a few more odds and ends from around the NBA:
- With a big City Council vote coming up tonight, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld discusses the Sacramento group's bid to keep the Kings. According to Kyler, Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson and the investment group have received a "fairly specific set of objectives" to meet if they want to have a realstic chance to keep the team.
- Two more NCAA underclassmen are eyeing the NBA draft. Marshawn Powell of Arkansas announced on Twitter that he has decided to declare his intent, while New Mexico announced that junior forward Tony Snell will test the waters (Twitter link via ESPN.com's Andy Katz).
- In his latest piece for HoopsWorld, Alex Kennedy examines the effect the NCAA tournament has on a prospect's draft stock and speaks to Rashard Lewis about his first year with the Heat.
- Andres Nocioni, who previously played for the Bulls, Kings, and Sixers, is in the final year of his contract with Spain's Caja Laboral, but it doesn't sound as if he's considering an NBA comeback. Nocioni spoke this week about his future, and Emiliano Carchia of Sportando has a translation of the highlights, via PlanetACB.com.
Odds & Ends: Yi, McGrady, Turkoglu
- In that same piece, Sheridan says that former NBA superstar Tracy McGrady is mulling a return to the Qingdao Flying Eagles for another season.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel says that it's "highly likely" the Magic will part ways with Hedo Turkoglu during the offseason. The 34-year-old forward doesn't appear to fit into the team's long-term plans, and only $6MM of his $12MM contract next year is fully guaranteed.
- Dave McMenamin and Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles report that Lakers reserve Antawn Jamison will play through pain after suffering a slight tear in his shooting wrist during Friday night's loss to the Wizards.
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson thinks that Jason Kidd could "absolutely" play two years after this one (Ian Begley of ESPN New York tweets).
- Despite all the media attention converging onto Miami nowadays, Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel doesn't think that the Heat approaching the NBA's all-time winning streak has created any unneeded pressure.
- Marc D'Amico of Celtics.com examines Jeff Green's performance against the Heat last Monday, calling it a game indicative of a potential superstar.
Southeast Notes: Heat, Magic, Bobcats, Martin
The Bobcats haven't exactly had a banner season thus far but they can make their mark on the 2012/13 campaign by snapping the Heat's bid for the longest winning streak in NBA history. Charlotte will travel to Miami tomorrow night to take on the Heat and will try to hand them their fourth home loss of the entire season. Here's more on the Heat and other notes out of the Southwest division..
- Rumor had it that if the Knicks didn't sign Kenyon Martin at the trade deadline that the Heat would have pounced on him. However, that's news to Martin, according to Marc Berman of the New York Post (Sulia link). The veteran said that despite the rumors and speculation, the Heat never called his agent Andy Miller. Martin joked that he would be in South Beach today had the Heat called for him and went on to say that he was so desperate to play that he even would have suited up for the Bobcats if they gave him the call. Martin, of course, found himself a tremendous landing spot in New York and is coming off of a 19 point, 11 rebound performance last night where he shot 9-of-10 from the floor.
- The Magic have lost guard Arron Afflalo for the season due to injury, but they will not look to sign anyone to a 10-day contract to fill the void, tweets Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
- Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel is surprised to see Heat coach Erik Spoelstra left out of the Coach of the Year discussion, despite Miami's tremendous play this season. Winderman notes that the award usually goes to coaches who have overachieving teams and the Heat could actually qualify, given that no one expected them to be quite this good this year.
Odds & Ends: LeBron/Cavs, Wafer, Harrington
Without leading scorers Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters yesterday, the Cavaliers had the surging Heat against the ropes in Cleveland through three quarters, leading by nine before ultimately losing in a heartbreaker. The last few years have represented some trying times for Cavs fans, although with the rise of Irving as a young potential superstar, Dion Waiters showing flashes as a promising scorer, and Tristan Thompson continuing to improve, the horizon is beginning to look bright in Cleveland. A promising young core on a team with cap space could only be a selling point toward a possible homecoming for LeBron James in 2014, although ESPN's Marc Stein (Twitter link) believes that the Akron native and Dwyane Wade are too close for LeBron to just "bolt Miami." Here are more of tonight's miscellaneous notes from around the NBA:
- Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld highlights that several clubs have considered signing Von Wafer, particularly teams looking to bolster their rosters before the playoffs start. The former second-round pick had recently returned from a stint in China and last played in the NBA during the 2011/12 season. In the same piece, Kennedy identifies players who have helped their free agency stock with their strong play this year.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel writes that Al Harrington could decide to sit out the rest of the season for the Magic for the sake of their young players benefiting from major playing time. The 33-year-old forward, who overcame a staph infection after arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, insists that his knees are fine now and that he will focus on preparing them for next year. Robbins adds that although Harrington is due about $14.7MM over the next two seasons, those years are partially guaranteed and could be bought out for nearly half that number this summer.
- Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro discusses his job status with Bill Dwyre of the Los Angeles Times. Now in his third season in LA and nearing the end of his contract, Dwyre writes that Chris Paul's contract status, the level of preference for Del Negro, and the team's performance in the playoffs are all substantial factors that are in play with regard to the coach's future with the team.
- Pistons coach Lawrence Frank tells David Mayo of MLive.com that, considering their record this year, none of the players – as well as the coaches – should feel safe about retaining their role for next season.
Eastern Notes: Knicks, Hamilton, Allen, Celtics
The Knicks announced a pair of injuries today, as Kurt Thomas will miss approximately two to four weeks with a stress fracture in his right foot, while Tyson Chandler will be sidelined for a week with a small bulging disc (all Twitter links). As Howard Beck of the New York Times notes (via Twitter), with so many players injured, particularly in the frontcourt, it may be time for the Knicks to reconsider their decision not to waive Rasheed Wallace to open a roster spot for a replacement. While we wait to see if the club makes a roster move, let's check out a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:
- Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau isn't ruling out the possibility that Richard Hamilton's back injury may keep him out for the rest of the season, says K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune. Hamilton is under contract for $5MM next season, but only $1MM is guaranteed, so he could hit free agency this summer.
- Although Ray Allen can opt out of his contract at season's end, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel thinks Allen would have a hard time finding a better fit than the Heat for maximizing his skill set and extending his career.
- Jeff Green and Avery Bradley are looking like two pieces the Celtics can build around beyond the Big Three era, according to Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.
- Following up on news of Andrew Bynum's season-ending surgery, John Denton of Magic.com once again praises Magic GM Rob Hennigan for passing on Bynum in last summer's blockbuster trade. Hennigan's "impeccable, dead-on foresight" should ensure that the team is in good hands, says Denton.
- A pair of Nets, Joe Johnson and Kris Humphries, are among the least cost-effective players in the NBA, writes Tom Ziller of SBNation.com.
Odds & Ends: Redick, Kobe, Lottery Odds
J.J. Redick spent nearly six and a half seasons with the Magic before being dealt to the Bucks right before the trade deadline. According to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel, Redick says that he never felt any ill-will toward the Magic organization during the process and completely understands why they traded him: "Based on Arron (Afflalo) being there and who’s in the draft this year and where the Magic are likely to pick, there’s no way they would commit anything to me long-term — not just me, but just anybody in my situation. From a business standpoint, from a cap-building and rebuilding standpoint, it wouldn’t make sense. I get that. That’s fine."
You can find more of what we've gathered up from the Association tonight below:
- Mark Medina of the LA Daily News (via Twitter) provides a brief update of Lakers star Kobe Bryant's injury status, saying that his ankle sprain is considered serious enough to deem his return indefinite.
- Keith Langlois of Pistons.com tweets that the draft lottery odds will be affected on a nightly basis moving forward, as eight teams have between 22-24 wins. Most notably, those teams could be choosing as high as third or as low as tenth depending on how their season ends.
- Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW thinks that Brandan Wright's dependable play could very well make him a keeper for the Mavericks for the long-term.
- Marco Belinelli has relished his time in Chicago so far, and the Bulls shooting guard – once viewed as Kyle Korver's replacement as a perimeter shooter – has worked hard to remove the stereotype that he's just a one-dimensional player (Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times reports).
- Shaun Livingston has been the beneficiary of heavy playing time for Cavaliers coach Byron Scott, who has looked to the 6'7 point guard to fill in for the injured Kyrie Irving, observes Jodie Valade of the Plain Dealer.
- Charles F. Gardner of the Journal Sentinel catches up with former Bucks forward Tobias Harris, who appears to be thriving in a significant role with the Magic.
- Perry Jones III credits the Thunder veterans for preparing him before he filled in for the injured Hasheem Thabeet on Friday, says Darnell Mayberry of NewsOK. Coach Scott Brooks made note of the rookie's eight-point, five rebound performance, and despite saying that there currently isn't any room in the rotation, the Baylor product has "a very bright future" with the team.
Draft Updates: Noel, Magic, Oladipo, Zeller
College basketball will take center stage for the next few weeks with the NCAA Tournament set to begin Tuesday. For NBA types, that means one final chance to evaluate a number of the top draft prospects in game action. Here are the latest draft-related dispatches we’re hearing:
- Despite a torn ACL, Kentucky center Nerlens Noel remains in line to be picked in the top five this June, and could still go No. 1. That speaks to the weakness in the upper echelon of this year’s draft class, according to an NBA front-office veteran who spoke to Scott Howard-Cooper of NBA.com. “He can be good defensively, but it’s not like he’s the next Bill Russell,” the executive said of Noel. “There’s another reason he’s staying that high in the draft.”
- The Magic are currently in line for the No. 2 overall selection, and Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel looks at five potential high lottery picks, projecting how their addition to the Magic would affect the team’s current roster.
- Following up on last week’s look at a few top college prospects who will miss the NCAA tournament, Chad Ford of ESPN.com has an Insider-only piece on others within the ESPN top 60 whose seasons are essentially over, noting that few scouts pay much attention to the NIT and other consolation events.
- An improved offensive showing this season is what has Victor Oladipo on a fast climb up draft boards, Howard-Cooper writes, projecting the Indiana swingman as a mid-lottery pick. That’s right around the range where teammate Cody Zeller, once thought of as a potential No. 1 pick, could wind up being drafted.
Eastern Notes: Sixers, Shaw, Ariza, Hennigan
While Charles Barkley continues to be one of the NBA's most outspoken and entertaining TV analysts, Sir Charles has indicated in the past that he'd love a chance to be hired as general manager of the Suns. If Barkley were running another one of his former teams, the Sixers, he'd be facing a big decision this summer, and he'd prepared to let Andrew Bynum walk in free agency, as John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes. Here are a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:
- In a Q&A with Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News, Pacers assistant Brian Shaw says his goal is to become a head coach someday. However, Shaw says he's in a "great situation" in Indiana, so he won't pursue a head coaching job that wouldn't be a good fit.
- In a week that featured Carmelo Anthony playing in Denver and Dwight Howard playing in Orlando, Trevor Ariza's first game against his former team, the Hornets, unsurprisingly isn't drawing much attention, and that's fine with him. "I’ve been on a number of teams," the Wizards forward told Michael Lee of the Washington Post. "Treat it like it’s a regular game. Not really worry about me, or individual things, but this is not an individual sport. It’s a team sport. Just stick to our game plan and do what I need to do."
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel details the close relationship between Thunder GM Sam Presti and Rob Hennigan, his Magic counterpart and former employee.
- Sam Smith's latest mailbag at Bulls.com is predictably heavy on Derrick Rose questions and answers.