Odds & Ends: Richardson, Favors, Novak, Nocioni
After missing Monday night's game against the Bucks with chest pains, Magic guard Jason Richardson says he could be seeking a second opinion on what hopefully isn't too serious of an injury, according to Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel.
Here are a few other notes from around the league:
- Jeremy Lin's been the at the center of the world these last couple of weeks, but the Knicks have seen other unlikely contributions throughout their roster. Most notably from fellow journeyman Steve Novak. The two played alongside one another in the D-league last February and the results were fantastic, writes Mark Viera of The New York Times.
- The league has announced that due to Spurs center Tiago Splitter's right calf strain, Jazz forward Derrick Favors will replace him in this weekend's Rising Stars Challenge.
- With Elton Brand held out of tonight's game against Memphis with a sprained right thumb, Sixers coach Doug Collins chose to name the seldom used Andres Nocioni his starting power forward. With Philadelphia's bench and depth serving as their main advantage throughout this shortened season, the decision to start Nocioni over Thaddeus Young shows Philadelphia's need to keep their rotation as normal as possible. Brand will be out through the All-Star break.
Latest On Pau Gasol
Within the last week, Dwight Howard has taken a backseat to Pau Gasol as the NBA's most-discussed trade target. It may not last long, as the Howard talk figures to roar back to life after the All-Star break. For now though, Gasol is dominating the headlines. Kobe Bryant called upon the Lakers' brass to either trade Pau as soon as possible or pull him off the trade block, but I'd be surprised to see any resolution quite yet. Gasol is one of the Lakers' strongest trade assets, and the quality of offers they'll get for him will likely increase as the deadline approaches.
With plenty of discussion focusing on whether the Lakers will trade Gasol, and where the Spaniard may land, let's round up a few Pau-related links….
- Using ESPN.com's Trade Machine, Brian Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles runs through a few conceivable Gasol trade scenarios.
- SI.com's Zach Lowe acknowledges that the Lakers' current roster doesn't look like a real championship contender, but says the Gasol rumors he's heard so far haven't made a ton of sense. I agree with Lowe on both points. In particular, the reports linking Gasol to the Bulls and Timberwolves didn't seem all that logical from L.A.'s perspective.
- The Rockets are rooting for a messy breakup between Gasol and the Lakers, since it could allow them to swoop in and acquire Pau, writes Jerome Solomon of the Houston Chronicle.
- Andy Kamenetzky of ESPN Los Angeles explores how the constant trade rumors are affecting not just Gasol but the Lakers as a whole.
- Gasol is "there for the taking" for the Magic, tweets Brian Schmitz of the Orlando Sentinel. Of course, Schmitz is referring to a Dwight Howard deal here, in which case the Magic would want more than Gasol.
Gilbert Arenas Talks Lakers, Health, Howard
Free agent Gilbert Arenas worked out for the Lakers recently, but there are no indications he's close to a deal with Los Angeles. Arenas sat down for a lengthy interview with SI.com's Sam Amick, in which he discussed a handful of topics, including the Lakers workout, his health, his former teams, and much more. Here are a few highlights from the informative two-part piece:
- Because he's still rehabbing and working his way toward full health, Arenas says he doesn't expect to sign anywhere until at least the All-Star break.
- Arenas spoke to Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak at his L.A. workout, but wouldn't comment on what the two discussed.
- The platelet-rich therapy Arenas underwent last month has improved his health immensely: "I'm jumping and moving like before I got injured, like it's basically '06 again. My explosiveness, my jumping ability, my quickness — it feels like I never got injured."
- Arenas talks to Dwight Howard every day, but says he doesn't know where Howard will end up next season and beyond: "I have no idea [if Dwight will stay], because like any big decision you're going to go back and forth every day."
- Howard and Arenas have talked about playing together again, which could still technically happen in Orlando next year if the former Wizard sits out this whole season, according to Arenas. I believe CBA rules prohibit an amnestied player from rejoining his old team for the duration of his contract, but presumably Arenas has been advised on this loophole. Regardless, I expect the odds of Howard and Arenas both wearing Magic uniforms next season are close to zero.
Dwight Howard Rumors: Monday
Over the weekend, we heard that the Warriors were still considering making a play for Dwight Howard, while Stephen Jackson was unconvinced that his friend would be leaving Orlando. With the All-Star Game in Orlando just six days away now, the Howard rumors could start to really heat up in a week or so. For now, here's the latest on the Magic star….
- Citing team sources, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld says the Magic will "actively explore the trade landscape" again starting on March 1st.
- The Rockets and Warriors are viewed as two teams who could try to acquire Howard, despite not being on his list of preferred destinations. Kyler says both teams feel like they'd have a chance at convincing Howard to stay if they could land him using non-core assets.
- Regardless of whether or not Howard is traded by March 15th, he intends to explore his options in free agency this summer, with both the Nets and Mavs having been promised a chance to make a sales pitch in July.
Stephen Jackson Talks Potential Destinations
It's no secret that Stephen Jackson is a trade candidate, and that the Bucks wouldn't hesitate to move him if they got an offer they liked. But just in case there was any confusion, Jackson expressed his opinion to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News.
"No disrespect to the guys (on the Bucks)," said Jackson. "But I’m at the stage of my career where I want to be in a different situation."
Reports have suggested that Dwight Howard and Jackson would like to play together, perhaps for the Magic or Nets. While the possibility of the pair teaming up in Orlando is likely a long shot, Jackson seemed enthusiastic about the chance to play in Brooklyn next season with Howard and Deron Williams. Williams had positive things to say about Jackson as well, telling Bondy he tried to recruit the 6'8" forward when he played for the Jazz.
"I like his game," said Williams. "I know a lot of people that knows him. I’m good friends with Baron Davis, who says (Jackson) was a great teammate. So he was just one of the guys I always wanted to play with."
Jackson says he has no desire to play for the Mavericks, another potential offseason landing spot for Williams and Howard. However, as Bondy points out in a pair of tweets, neither the Nets or the Mavs would be able to take on Jackson's $10MM+ 2012/13 salary if they signed Williams and Howard to max or near-max deals. To have a chance to team up with both players, Jackson would probably need to be amnestied by the Bucks.
Dwight Howard Rumors: Saturday
The Dwight Howard rumor mill has quieted down lately with many pundits believing that the Magic will keep the center right up until the trade deadline. This morning, however, we learned that there could be another serious suitor in the Howard sweepstakes. Here's the latest, with the most recent updates up top.
- Stephen Jackson's indication to HoopsWorld last night that he would love to play for the Magic gives Orlando fans a glimmer of hope that their team can convince Howard to stay, writes Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. Robbins suspects the Magic's failure to acquire Jackson around draft time last year, when the Bucks picked him up, may have led to Howard's questioning of GM Otis Smith. Still, Robbins believes Jackson, and his $10.5MM payday next season, may not be a worthwhile risk.
- The Warriors are convinced that they're still players in a potential deal for Dwight Howard, writes Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle. Warriors sources believe the Magic could part with Howard without receiving a draft pick in return, if there are enough players involved. Golden State has a 14-man roster to work with and could put together a deal like David Lee, Monta Ellis and either Ekpe Udoh or Klay Thompson for Howard and Glen Davis.
Odds & Ends: Jackson, Freeland, Heat, Calderon
Saturday afternoon linkage..
- If Stephen Jackson wants to leave Milwaukee to play with Dwight Howard in Orlando, the guard will have to give the Bucks $5MM or so back in a buyout, tweets Ryan Wolstat of the Toronto Sun.
- Former Blazers draft pick Joel Freeland denied a report from earlier this week that he agreed to a contract extension with his Spanish club, writes Nick Gibson of SheridanHoops.com. The big man also insists that he has nothing against the prospect of playing in Portland and will make the transition to the NBA “if the situation is right.”
- The Heat could use an upgrade at center as they may have to face Tyson Chandler, Dwight Howard, and Joakim Noah to win the Eastern Conference in the postseason, writes Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.
- Some fans are calling for the Raptors to start tanking, but that doesn’t guarantee much for the club and would hurt the locker room culture, writes Steve Buffery of the Toronto Sun. Some are also calling for Toronto to deal Jose Calderon as the point guard has just one year remaining on his deal, but Jerryd Bayless hasn’t done enough prove that he be the team’s one-guard going forward.
- A number of contenders could benefit from adding Steve Nash to the fold, but the point guard continues to stand his ground and won’t ask for a trade, writes J.A. Adande of ESPN.com.
- There isn’t a trade out there that will be good enough to boost the 76ers into a finals team, opines John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News.
- In his piece earlier today, Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle writes that the Warriors could use a 10-day contract as a tryout for a D-League big man. Will Foster of the Rio Grande Valley and Bakersfield’s Brian Butch could both be considered.
Clippers, Knicks Frontrunners for J.R. Smith
While J.R. Smith has been linked to practically half the teams in the NBA at this point, the Clippers and Knicks are the frontrunners for his services, according to Ramona Shelburne of ESPN Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Magic GM Otis Smith tells Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel that his team isn't considering Smith.
Smith recently listed the Clippers, Knicks, Magic on his Twitter profile along with the Lakers, Bulls, and Pacers, leading to speculation that he could be choosing between those six teams. Currently, however, only the Clips, Knicks, and Lakers remain mentioned on his page.
The Clippers have been actively recruiting Smith, with Chris Paul confident about the team's chances and Vinny Del Negro saying a phone call with Smith yesterday went "very, very well." The Knicks, however, could offer Smith more money this season, along with a player option for next year. Both L.A. teams could only guarantee Smith the pro-rated veteran's minimum for the remainder of the season. According to Shelburne, the security of having a 2012/13 option with the Knicks could factor into Smith's decision.
Having just returned from his season in China, Smith still requires a FIBA letter of clearance before he's free to sign with an NBA team.
J.R. Smith Rumors: Wednesday
9:56 p.m.: Brad Turner of the Los Angeles Times reports (via Twitter) that Clippers coach Vinny Del Negro has reached out to Smith.
1:00 p.m.: J.R. Smith's Chinese team played its final game today, which means Smith's should be returning to America any time now. While he still needs a letter of clearance from FIBA before he can become an unrestricted free agent and sign with an NBA team, Smith figures to make his NBA debut shortly after the All-Star break at the latest. Yesterday, Chris Paul expressed confidence in the Clippers' chances of signing Smith, while Lakers coach Mike Brown confirmed he and Smith had talked. Here's the latest on the CBA's scoring champ:
- The Bulls aren't in the mix for Smith, according to Larry Coon of HoopsWorld and ESPN.com (via Twitter).
- It's anyone's guess how much we should trust Smith's Twitter feed, but for what it's worth, he tweeted yesterday that he hasn't been in contact with the Timberwolves at all.
- Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel doesn't expect the Magic to sign Smith (Twitter link).
Dwight Howard Rumors: Wednesday
We're exactly a month away from this season's trade deadline, and it's looking more and more like there won't be any major developments on the Dwight Howard front until after the All-Star Game in Orlando. That doesn't mean the rumors don't continue to swirl though. We'll keep tabs on today's Howard updates right here….
- ESPN.com's Chris Broussard (Insider link) disregards Howard's list of preferred destinations and explains why hypothetical trades to the Heat, Knicks, Hawks, Lakers, and Bulls could make sense.
- The Magic appear content to play out the month and reassess the situation on March 1st, says Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel. The team believes there's no rush to make a decision and that Howard will still be in high demand at the deadline.
- A pair of TNT personalities, Shaquille O'Neal and Steve Kerr, weighed in on Howard yesterday, according to the Associated Press (ESPN.com link). Kerr said he'd play out the season and try to keep the star center if he were running the Magic, while Shaq said it would be a "travesty" if D12 leaves Orlando, pointing out differences between his situation in 1996 and Howard's this season.