Western Notes: Blazers, West, Sacre, Iguodala
According to Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com, Trail Blazers GM Neil Olshey is hoping Nicolas Batum can increase his scoring this season like Eric Gordon did in his third year, when his PPG jumped from 16.9 to 22.3. If Batum can take that sort of step forward, Olshey says he has reason to be optimistic about the Blazers' future.
"I'm not putting a number on Nic, but if Nic can make a jump, if Wes [Matthews] can make a jump, if L.A. [LaMarcus Aldridge] can just be L.A., and Damian [Lillard] can be who we think he has the ability to be, we're not that far away," Olshey said. "And having a lottery pick potentially, and three second [round picks], and having $13MM in room potentially, is a pretty good position to be in eight months from now."
Here are a few more updates from around the Western Conference:
- The Mavericks have indefinitely suspended Delonte West again for conduct detrimental to the team, the club announced today in a press release. As Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com tweets, it seems likely this suspension will last longer than West's last one did.
- Eddie Sefko of the Dallas Morning News thinks Mavericks rookie Bernard James, the third pick of the second round this June, could use some D-League seasoning.
- Robert Sacre is moving closer to locking up a spot on the Lakers roster, writes Dave McMenamin of ESPNLosAngeles.com.
- Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post believes Andre Iguodala, who can invoke an early termination option for 2013/14, will instead sign a long-term deal with the Nuggets.
- Even after waiving Eddy Curry and Derrick Brown, the Spurs won't necessarily keep Josh Powell on their regular season roster, but Powell tells Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News that he thinks he's shown the team enough to warrant consideration.
NBA GMs Weigh In On 2012/13 Season
The results are in on NBA.com's annual survey of the league's general managers, with all 30 NBA GMs weighing in on dozens of questions about the 2012/13 season and the 2012 offseason. We won't round up all of their answers here, so feel free to check out the full results at NBA.com, but here are a few of the more notable responses:
- 70% of respondents believe the Heat will repeat as NBA champs, while 96.7% think Miami will win the Eastern Conference. Since GMs aren't allowed to vote for their own teams, that means the rest of the league's 29 GMs picked the Heat to come out of the East.
- The Lakers are the favorites to come out of the West, earning 60% of the votes. The Thunder (36.7%) and Nuggets (3.3%) were the only other teams mentioned.
- LeBron James is the player most GMs would start a franchise with, earning 80% of the votes.
- 86.2% of GMs believe the Lakers made the best offseason moves, with Dwight Howard (70%) and Steve Nash (20%) earning the most votes for the summer addition who will make the biggest impact. Los Angeles' sign-and-trade for Nash was also voted the summer's most surprising move.
- Besides the Lakers, the other teams receiving votes for the best offseason roster moves were the Nets, Hawks, and Warriors.
- The Nets (62.1%) ran away with the votes on which team will be most improved, while Andre Iguodala (16.7%) topped the choices for most underrated acquisition — the Celtics' duo of Jason Terry and Courtney Lee also received support in that category.
- Anthony Davis (76.7%) and Gregg Popovich (80%) were the runaway picks for rookie of the year and the NBA's best coach, respectively.
Atlantic Rumors: Iguodala, Sixers, Moon, Bradley
Sixers swingman Jason Richardson made waves earlier today, telling reporters he expected the Magic to trade him because of his representation by Dan Fegan, who also serves as Dwight Howard's agent. He's not the only player involved in the Howard/Andrew Bynum blockbuster causing a stir, as news from around the Atlantic Division trickles in.
- Former Sixers star Andre Iguodala recently told Matt Moore of CBSSports.com that he hasn't really enjoyed the game the past couple of years and felt drained by constant criticism. Doug Collins doesn't perceive that as a swipe at him, telling Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News, "I feel great about our time together."
- Evan Turner also took Iguodala's remarks in stride, as Dei Lynam of CSNPhilly.com reports.
- Free agent Jamario Moon, who saw his best days with the Raptors, has switched agents as he continues to hold out hope of latching on with an NBA team, Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld tweets. He's now with Jared Karnes after having been represented by Wallace Prather.
- Avery Bradley and Celtics coach Doc Rivers agree on a mid-December timetable for the guard's return from surgery on both shoulders, reports A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE.com. There's no return date for center Chris Wilcox, who's suffering from back spasms as he battles back from heart surgery.
- Celtics coach Doc Rivers is searching for one more player to join Rajon Rondo, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jeff Green in the team's crunch-time lineup, Blakely writes.
- Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside wonders whether Chris Smith's injury will open the door for fellow shooting guard and training camp invitee Mychel Thompson to make the Knicks opening-day roster. Smith and Thompson are on non-guaranteed minimum-salary deals.
Northwest Notes: Jazz, Iguodala, Blazers
The Northwest Division promises to be one of the most competitive in the league during the 2012/13 season. The Oklahoma City Thunder are looking to defend their Western Conference championship; the Denver Nuggets added Andre Iguodala to an already deep team; and the Utah Jazz and Minnesota Timberwolves made key offseason changes that should have them in the playoff hunt. Here is the latest chatter from up north on Tuesday afternoon:
- Mike Sorensen of the Desert News writes that second-year center Enes Kanter is impressing Jazz coach Tyrone Corbin in training camp.
- Steve Luhm of the Salt Lake Tribune has a feature on Jazz second-round pick Kevin Murphy, who is fighting for a roster spot with the team.
- Bill Oram of the Salt Lake Tribune examines the improved shooting stroke of DeMarre Carroll this offseason.
- Iguodala has taken on a leadership role in his first training camp as a Nugget, writes Benjamin Hochman of the Denver Post.
- The Oregonian's Joe Freeman reports (via Twitter) that Blazers coach Terry Stotts will limit all of his players to one half of action during Portland's preseason opener on Wednesday.
Odds & Ends: Sullinger, Magic, Maynor, Sixers
Here are a few bits of news and notes from around the league.
- Celtics rookie Jared Sullinger may have a body type that mirrors former Celtic forward Glen Davis, but the two players boast very different games, writes WEEI.com's Paul Flannery.
- AJC.com's Chris Vivlamore writes about how Hawks point guard Jeff Teague needs to become a vocal leader this season.
- NBA.com writer Josh Cohen dives into whether or not the Magic will be active at February's trade deadline.
- Glen Davis says the Magic starters have great chemistry so far, writes the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins.
- CSNPhilly.com's John Finger asks how the Sixers are going to replace Andre Iguodala's elite perimeter defense.
- CSNNW.com's Chris Haynes introduces fans to Trail Blazers big man guru Kim Hughes, a coach who should be integral to lottery pick Meyers Leonard's development.
- If James Harden re-signs with the Thunder, it will signal the end of Eric Maynor's tenure with the team, according to The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry.
Atlantic Links: Celts, Sixers, Moultrie, Smith
As if the Atlantic division didn't have a busy enough offseason, the Celtics were active again on Thursday . After waiving Keyon Dooling, who then retired, Boston signed Micah Downs to what is likely a non-guaranteed deal and gave guaranteed dollars to Darko Milicic. They now have 14 guaranteed roster spots and 19 total players in training camp. John Hollinger of ESPN gives his take, insider only, on the Celtics roster.
Surely, that couldn't have been it for the ever-changing Atlantic. Let's keep track of all the other links floating around on Thursday within the division:
- We have detailed at great length the roster overhaul that the Sixers went through this offseason. John Hollinger of ESPN breaks down their new roster for the 2012-13 seasons (Insider access only).
- Dei Lynam of CSN Philly looks at Andrew Bynum and Andre Iguodala, both of whom could be unrestricted free agents this offseason. Bynum seems like a good bet to re-sign in Philly, while the future of Iguodala, should he opt out, is far more difficult to predict.
- The ankle injury that has hobbled Sixers first round pick Arnett Moultrie for most of the summer has not progressed as well as the team has hoped, reports John Mitchell of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Moultrie's effectiveness is heavily reliant on his athleticism, making it crucial for him legs to be at full strength as a rookie.
- Jonathan Abrams examines the enigma that is Knicks shooting guard J.R. Smith for Grantland. Smith is ultra-talented and has been productive, but for whatever reason has not been able to find a home.
- Former Knick Stephon Marbury talked all things Knickerbockers with Ian Begley of ESPN New York. Marbury questions Amare Stoudemire's ability to thrive without Steve Nash, the ownership's motives in bringing in Carmelo Anthony and the potential of the team to advance in the playoffs.
Raptors Notes: Iguodala, Trades, Calderon
The Raptors officially announced their signing of Dominic McGuire this morning, and deals for Jamaal Magloire and Chris Wright are expected to follow. With 14 players already on guaranteed contracts, the Raptors figure to have McGuire, Magloire, and Wright in camp to battle for the team's 15th and final roster spot. Here are a few more of today's Raps-related items:
- Lang Greene of HoopsWorld passes along comments made by Raptors GM Bryan Colangelo to Michael Richards on TSN Radio (.mp3 link), which included a handful of interesting tidbits. Among them: Colangelo said the Raptors had a chance this offseason to jump into some trade scenarios, and still have some trade possibilities that they're exploring.
- Colangelo singled out Andre Iguodala as a player the Raptors could've been in on, but said the asking price was too high for a guy that can become a free agent as early as next summer. According to Greene, the Raptors would have had to give up DeMar DeRozan, Ed Davis, Jose Calderon, and a first-round pick to land Iguodala.
- Colangelo also noted that Calderon's expiring contract makes for a valuable trade asset.
- Toronto's GM on the team's offseason: "Maybe we failed this summer to make the sexy move, but I tell you that we have gone about this building it the right way, taking a patience approach which is not easy for me to do. I want to turn things around very quickly sometimes — all of the time. But sometimes you really do have to wait. You have to do it the right way."
Andre Iguodala On Trade, George Karl, Andre Miller
Andre Iguodala spoke at length about his Olympic experience to Ryan Mahan of The State Journal-Register in Springfield, Illinois, where Iguodala was born and raised. The Nuggets swingman talked about finding his role on a star-studded Team USA and what it was like to win the gold medal, but his comments to the newspaper about the blockbuster trade that sent him to Denver were perhaps most significant. Iguodala's initial reaction to the deal seemed to indicate he wasn't pleased with the thought of playing for the Nuggets, but at his introductory press conference, he hinted that he'd like to stay in Denver long-term. Here's the latest from the former Sixer:
On finding out about the trade, which went down two days before the gold medal game:
“I heard some rumors the day before. I’ve been in a lot trade rumors in the past so that didn’t faze me. When the trigger was pulled, at that time, it kind of caught me off guard. I wasn’t shocked, but it caught me off guard because the timing was weird, you know, I’m trying to focus on Team USA and trying to help those guys win any way possible.’’
On fitting in with the Nuggets:
“I think I have a really great coach in George Karl. I think he’s one of the best coaches in the NBA right now. And I played with Andre Miller before and I had my best years with him. I’m looking forward to that situation and helping the team get further than they’ve ever been before."
About Denver's playing style:
“We’ll score a lot of points. We’ll have home-court advantage, and that will be great. It’s going to be really exciting. We’ll jet up and down the court, (having) pass-first point guards, and the way they pass it to the wings.”
Odds & Ends: Collins, Nuggets, Warriors
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Sunday night:
- Doug Collins tells the Sporting News that he wants to coach four or five more years for the Sixers.
- Derek Page of HoopsWorld has some thoughts from Nuggets coach George Karl, who is pleased with the moves Masai Ujiri's staff has made this summer, most notably the trade for Andre Iguodala.
- The Warriors' plan to build a new arena in San Francisco is progressing. According to a team press release, they have chosen an architectural firm to begin construction on the new facility.
Odds & Ends: Sixers, Wade, Nuggets, Nash
Now that Andre Iguodala is with the Nuggets, CSNPhilly.com wonders how Denver's head coach George Karl will use the All-Star wing in his system. Here are a few more notes from across the league:
- Dwyane Wade told reporters on Thursday that even though Derrick Rose doesn't see himself as the type to recruit other players to join him in Chicago, it may be a necessary move later on in his career, writes ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell.
- After his involvement in the Dwight Howard trade, Andre Miller is excited to be reunited with Andre Iguodala in Denver, writes Nuggets.com's Aaron J. Lopez. The two were previously teammates in Philadelphia.
- NBA.com's John Schuhmann dives deep into the numbers to explain why the Lakers will truly benefit with the addition of Steve Nash.
- The Nets agreed to sign Donte Greene earlier today, and the New York Post's Tim Bontemps thinks it was a good move.
- NBA.com's John Denton offers various reactions to several recent NBA-related news items.
- Pistons second round pick Kim English is excited to start his career on a team that he believes to be headed down the right path, writes MLive.com's Brendan Savage.