Atlantic Notes: Celtics, Raptors, Knicks
Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston delves further into what today's roster moves meant for the Celtic green, noting that the $275K the team saved by waiving Kris Joseph is nearly the amount it will cost the team to sign a veteran-minimum player late in the season. He also points out that Boston must wait for Joseph and Jarvis Varnado to clear waivers before being able to offer 10-day contracts. As for the now-former Celtics, Forsberg writes that both will have the option of returning to the D-League while awaiting their next opportunity. Here's the rest of what we've heard out of the Atlantic Division tonight:
- ESPN New York's Jared Zwerling describes how current Celtics assistant Jay Larranaga played a pivotal role in helping Knicks forward Chris Copeland earn a shot to play in the NBA.
- With P.J. Carlesimo, Nets rookie Mirza Teletovic has another chance to make a first impression (Kristie Ackert of the New York Daily News reports).
- In a Q&A with readers that covered a variety of miscellaneous topics, Doug Smith of TheStar.com said that with a full roster, the Raptors aren't currently inclined to waive anyone in order to sign someone to a 10-day contract. With regards to their point guard situation, Smith thinks that Toronto should stand pat for now and seems confident that the team will eventually have discussions next summer to try and keep Jose Calderon.
Atlantic Links: Amare, Novak, Williams, Celtics
With tipoff at the Garden for Spurs-Knicks scheduled for 7:30ET, Mike Woodson announced a shake up in the starting lineup, plugging Marcus Camby into the power forward spot previously held by Kurt Thomas (via Ian Begley on Twitter). Here is all the other news coming out of the Atlantic on Thurday:
- In an Insider-only piece, Chris Broussard of ESPN tackles the Amare Stoudemire conundrum in New York by asking five NBA minds – three assistant coaches and two longtime scouts – what the Knicks should do now that their enigmatic power forward is back. The consensus is that Stoudemire should come off the bench initially, but as he gets healthier the opinions vary as to whether his game and mindset are up for becoming a complimentary piece on a title contender.
- For those into NBA metrics, Henry Abbott at ESPN offers an interesting take on how it could be that the Knicks Steve Novak could have the same defensive rating as dominant defensive center Tyson Chandler, and most important, what it means with regard to statistics.
- Kirk Goldsberry of Grantland analyzes what it is to be an "attack guard" in today's NBA, and in turn reveals what has been a key factor in the decline of Nets point guard Deron Williams. Goldsberry writes that Williams has not all of a sudden become a worse shooter, but is instead more often settling for longer shots. Williams has never been a great shooter and with his ability to attack the rim declining, it has put more emphasis on his mediocre stroke.
- Despite their 14-17 start, Danny Ainge remains optimistic that the Celtics will come around as currently constructed, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPN Boston. Ainge is looking forward to the return of Avery Bradley and says the new faces have not been the sole reason for their slow start. Jimmy Toscano of CSN New England offers a few additional quotes from Ainge that imply that the right talent and coach are in place – it is merely up to the players now. It is worth mentioning that last year, the Celtics sat at 15-17 after a 5-game losing streak, only to finish the season on a 24-10 tear and capture the Atlantic division title.
Knicks Updates: Amare, Sheed, Shumpert
The latest chatter around the New York Knicks on Wednesday evening:
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com writes that Amare Stoudemire, once considered the Knicks' franchise player, is now buying into a team run by Carmelo Anthony.
- Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com reports that the injury to Rasheed Wallace has had a major impact on the Knicks, with head coach Mike Woodson expressing the veteran's importance.
- Iman Shumpert is going through some light drills, although there is no update on when he is expected to be able to resume five-on-five activities.
Atlantic Notes: Nets, D-Will, Bynum, Stoudemire
The Atlantic Division was expected to be the strongest in the Eastern Conference, and perhaps even in the NBA, this season. So far though, only the 21-10 Knicks have exceeded expectations. The Nets, Sixers, Celtics, and Raptors are a combined 56-68, putting the division one game below .500 as a whole. Here's the latest out of the underachieving Atlantic:
- As we've heard before, the Nets are targeting Phil Jackson for their head coach opening, and are expected to launch their pursuit of Jackson soon. However, if they can't persuade the Zen Master to come to Brooklyn, the Nets may wait until the offseason to find a permanent solution for the position, according to ESPN.com's Marc Stein (Twitter links).
- Current Nets coach P.J. Carlesimo doesn't want to see struggling point guard Deron Williams put so much pressure on himself, as he tells Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News: "I think a lot of it is the reality of what has happened to our franchise this year. It would be hard to overstate how dramatically different the franchise, the team, the expectations, the focus, everything is this year compared to last year. And he’s in the middle of the whole thing. So it’s been a big challenge. I think it’s important for me to not let him think it all revolves around him."
- Asked whether there had been any progress in Andrew Bynum's recovery, Sixers GM Tony DiLeo told reporters, including Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News, that there was no news at the moment. Cooney expects an update from the team next week.
- Lang Greene's NBA AM piece at HoopsWorld is particularly Atlantic-heavy, focusing on Avery Bradley's return to the Celtics, Amare Stoudemire's 2012/13 debut for the Knicks, and Jrue Holiday's All-Star chances.
- Ken Berger of CBSSports.com also takes a look at Stoudemire's first game back with the Knicks, including Carmelo Anthony's assertion that he and Stoudemire have to focus on "not listening to what everybody has to say" about the duo's ability to play together.
New York Notes: Kidd, Stoudemire, Blatche
This afternoon's game vs. the Celtics was the equivalent of a lump of coal in the Nets' stocking, as Brooklyn suffered a 17-point defeat on its home court. The Knicks are hoping for a better result in Los Angeles, currently engaged in a tight game with the Lakers in the second half. As we wait to see if one of the two New York teams can pull out a Christmas Day victory, here are a few links out of the Big Apple:
- While some fans and pundits were skeptical when the Knicks signed Jason Kidd to a three-year contract this summer, the veteran point guard has been at the heart of the team's success, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
- Also at ESPNNewYork.com, Begley asks whether the Knicks should trade Amare Stoudemire. I think a better question would be whether the Knicks can trade Stoudemire.
- Andray Blatche tells NBA.com's Jeff Caplan that after being amnestied by the Wizards in July, it was a while before he received any interest from NBA teams: "During the summer, I didn’t get no phone calls." Blatche ended up working out in Houston with former coach John Lucas, and Caplan notes that if Nets coach Avery Johnson didn't live just outside of Houston, allowing him to work out Blatche at his home, the ex-Wizard may not be playing in the NBA right now.
- Earlier today, I examined Kris Humphries as a trade candidate.
Odds & Ends: Cousins, Rockets, Humphries
With one game still in progress from tonight's docket, let's take a look around the Association..
- Jason Jones of the Sacramento Bee notes that the Rockets have had interest in Kings big man DeMarcus Cousins in the past. However, Houston may not want to take on the troubled center at the cost of breaking up what they already have in place. James Harden & Co. are two games above .500 and riding a three game winning streak.
- It would not surprise Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News (on Twitter) to see the Nets try and deal forward Kris Humphries and two-guard MarShon Brooks. The early returns on tonight's poll concerning Hump's future in Brooklyn show that 85% of Hoops Rumors readers see the Nets shopping him prior to the deadline. Humphries cannot be traded until January 15th.
- Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle watched a Texas Legends game in order to check out Jared Cunningham and wound up coming away impressed by Chris Douglas-Roberts, who signed with the club earlier today, tweets Earl K. Sneed of NBA.com. The arrival of CDR meant that Dallas had to let Derek Fisher go after his short stint with the club.
- The Knicks may be "stuck" with Amare Stoudemire, but Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld doesn't necessarily see that as a bad thing. The forward was reportedly offered around the league for next-to-nothing this summer but there were no takers due to his contract and injury woes.
- With Fisher gone, now could be the time for Rodrigue Beaubois to steal the spotlight for the Mavericks, writes Dwain Price of the Star-Telegram. The 6'0" guard has been mentioned as a trade candidate this season.
New York Notes: Nets, Humphries, Amare, Knicks
We ran down some news out of the Atlantic in the afternoon, now it's time to zero in on the New York teams..
- After inking a two-year, $24MM deal with the Nets in the offseason, Kris Humphries has been pushed out of the starting lineup and to the bench. Against the Sixers today, Hump was left in his warmups for the entire 48 minutes despite being healthy. The forward admitted that the it bothered him and even though coach Avery Johnson warned him that his minutes would fluctuate, he never expected a DNP – coach's decision, Roderick Boone of Newsday tweets.
- Johnson said that Humphries isn't in the doghouse, tweets Andy Vasquez of the Bergen Record (on Twitter). "Basically a coach's decision… He's healthy,he's fine,he's not in the doghouse.We just had to try something else," Johnson said. If Johnson is being diplomatic and Humphries doesn't have a place in the Nets' rotation, one has to think that he could be a valuable trade chip between now and February.
- Knicks coach Mike Woodson still says that Amare Stoudemire won't suit up for the D-League's Erie BayHawks, despite his recent assignment, tweets Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal (on Twitter). The forward worked out with the Knicks affiliate in Westchester, New York in preperation for his on-court return.
- Some have wondered if Stouemire and Carmelo Anthony will be able to play well together this time around, but Anthony has no such concerns, writes Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com.
Odds & Ends: Stoudemire, World Peace, Lillard
Saturday afternoon linkage from around the Association..
- Concern about the health of Amare Stoudemire, who's set to return to the Knicks soon, led Team USA officials to pass him over for a spot on this year's Olympic team, even though the squad was short on big men, as Marc Berman of the New York Post reveals.
- Lakers forward Metta World Peace has been relegated to the bench, but he won't be asking for a trade over it, writes Janis Carr of the Orange County Register. In fact, the veteran seems to be taking it all in stride. “I just want to win, that’s our focus,” World Peace said. “I can’t speak for other players, but its all about us wining. That’s our whole purpose.”
- The Blazers' Damian Lillard remembers being considered the No. 2 point guard in the draft at one point behind the Suns Kendall Marshall, but refuses to knock the North Carolina product, writes Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com.
- Brian Geltzeiler of Sheridan Hoops issued a letter of apology to Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan for his criticism of the Dwight Howard trade. At the time, it appeared that Orlando allowed themselves to be pillaged by three NBA teams, but they ultimately made the best move for the club in the long-term.
Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Amare, Celtics, Garnett
Items out of the Atlantic Division..
- Some have wondered how Amare Stoudemire will fit in with the Knicks' future, but a team source tells Marc Berman of the New York Post that the club brought the Erie Bayhawks to New York specifically to work out with the forward. That gesture is a sign that the Knicks are committed to Stoudemire long term in the eyes of Berman. Earlier today, we learned that the Knicks were practically looking to give Stoudemire away for free over the summer.
- Coach Mike Woodson doesn't seem to think that today's report will have an effect on Stoudemire, tweets Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. "Amare is a big piece of the New York Knicks and that's why he's still here," said the coach.
- Jim Cavan of the New York Times writes that a lower turnover rate has been a key to the Knicks' success this season.
- The Celtics need a big man who will help give Kevin Garnett and Chris Wilcox help down low, writes Rich Levine of CSNNE.com. Levine suggests that the C's can package Courtney Lee and Fab Melo for Jason Thompson of the Kings or the Blazers' J.J. Hickson.
- If the Celtics don’t show improvement on the defensive end before the trade deadline, expect team president Danny Ainge to find better complementary pieces for Garnett, writes Dan Guttenplan of WEEI.com.
- Louis Williams reflects on his years with the 76ers as he prepares to face his former team as a member of the Hawks.
- Jason Kidd believes that Deron Williams is struggling with his shooting, which is to blame for his poor recent play, and not Nets coach Avery Johnson.
Knicks Tried To Trade Amare Stoudemire
Amare Stoudemire is set to return to action for the Knicks, but Howard Beck of the New York Times writes that the big man could have easily been shipped elsewhere prior to the start of this season. The player once viewed as one of the team’s cornerstones was offered up to nearly every team in the league and was “available for free”, according to one rival executive.
In February, the Knicks wanted to send Stoudemire to Toronto in a deal for Andrea Bargnani, according to a person briefed on the discussion. However, that proposal was vetoed by Garden chairman James Dolan before it ever reached the Raptors. Unsurprisingly, Toronto officials told Beck that the club wouldn’t have made that deal anyway. Before that, the Knicks tried to package Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler in a trade with the Magic for Dwight Howard.
The Knicks couldn’t find a taker for Stoudemire because of his diminished production, health concerns, and massive contract, which pays him $65MM through 2014/15. The deal is uninsured against a career-ending knee injury, despite the big man’s injury history.