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Central Notes: Cavs, Bulls, Villanueva, Wallace

April 4th, 2012 at 9:03am CST by Luke Adams

The Bucks can pull within a game of the eighth-place Knicks in the East tonight, and they couldn't ask for a better matchup — Milwaukee will host the Cavaliers, who have lost eight straight games and are coming off a 125-90 shellacking at the hands of the Spurs. Tom Reed of the Cleveland Plain Dealer acknowledges that a team like the Cavs needs to go through years like this to build through the draft lottery, but wonders if all the losses will affect young players like Kyrie Irving, Tristan Thompson, and Alonzo Gee. Here are a few more Wednesday morning links from out of the Central Division:

Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau and GM Gar Forman have both downplayed an ESPN.com report that suggested Thibodeau was unhappy with his contract situation. We heard yesterday that Forman and the Bulls initiated extension talks with the coach prior to the season and intend to resume them at season's end. Forman discussed this further with Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times, noting, "It’s our objective to have Tom as coach of the Bulls long-term, and I think it’s Tom’s objective to be the coach of the Bulls. Usually when your objectives are the same, you should be able to reach a resolution."
Charlie Villanueva, who has only played 15 minutes all season, is growing increasingly frustrated by his role with the Pistons, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. Villanueva has two years and $16MM+ remaining on his contract after this season, and as Goodwill points out, the veteran forward could be an amnesty candidate. "I know this summer this will be addressed, my future will be talked about," Villanueva said. "I want to be here. But I'm a realist at the same time."
Fellow Pistons big man Ben Wallace has stated repeatedly that he'll retire at season's end, but Wallace left himself some wiggle room with his most recent comments, says David Mayo of MLive.com.

Pistons Notes: Wallace, Gordon, Villanueva, Bynum

March 1st, 2012 at 12:03pm CST by Luke Adams

Ben Wallace is expected to call it a career at season's end, and while Detroit's current roster isn't quite in the same league as Wallace's Pistons squad that won a title in 2004, the veteran big man feels like the team has plenty of promise.

"I like the direction this team is headed," Wallace told Keith Langlois of Pistons.com. "I think the future is very bright for the young guys – Greg [Monroe], Brandon [Knight]. I wouldn’t have a problem with how I left them. I would be leaving them in a better position than what I found them."

Here's the latest on a Pistons club coming off a convincing home win over the Bobcats:

The Pistons aren't expected to shake things up much at the trade deadline, though they'd love to move Ben Gordon or Charlie Villanueva if they could, says Vince Ellis of the Detroit Free Press.
Austin Daye and Will Bynum are among the Pistons unfazed by the approaching deadline, writes Vincent Goodwill of the Detroit News. "I don't really care, it doesn't matter where (I play)," Bynum said. "Could be Africa, L.A., Orlando, I don't care for the business…. All I do is control how I work, and I'm waiting for my opportunity."
Langlois fields Pistons-related questions in a mailbag, including a handful that focus on trade possibilities or potential offseason moves. Langlois says a deadline deal for Detroit is possible, but a blockbuster is a long shot.

Odds & Ends: Bobcats, Kaman, Lin

February 13th, 2012 at 11:10pm CST by Chuck Myron

D.J. White, whom the Bobcats acquired from the Thunder nearly a year ago, isn't seeing much playing time, and that's because of a glut of power forwards, tweets Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer. If the Bobcats are overloaded with quality players, it isn't showing up in their record, now 3-25 after a loss to the Sixers tonight. Justin Kubatko of The New York Times examines the ineptitude of the team and deems it a black mark on owner Michael Jordan's reputation. Sixers coach Doug Collins, who coached Jordan with the Bulls and Wizards, wonders how the ultra-competitive Jordan can take it, as Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports.

More notes from around the NBA on Monday night:

Pistons center Ben Wallace, 37, is not reconsidering his decision to retire after this season, notes Eric Lacy of the Detroit News.
Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is upset with the NBA over the Chris Paul trade this year, believing the league-owned Hornets would have been better off having Paul leave via free agency, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas.
Matt Steinmetz of CSN Bay Area tweets that Hornets center Chris Kaman could be a trade target of the Warriors.
Warriors GM Larry Riley is one of the many who underestimated Jeremy Lin, predicting he would be a backup at best, according to Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Lin is having a tangible effect on the financial value of his team. Shares of the Madison Square Garden Company, which owns the Knicks, the arena and the TV network that shows the team's games locally, have hit a record high, Ken Belson of The New York Times reports.
Ben Uzoh, recently signed to a 10-day contract, is impressing Cavs coach Byron Scott, writes Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal.
Jerry Reinsdorf's son Michael has been taking a more active role with the Bulls lately, but don't assume that means he'll eventually succeed his father as owner, writes Melissa Isaacson of ESPN Chicago.
The Heat took a flyer on Eddy Curry before the season, and so far he has contributed little. Still, his slow progress doesn't disturb coach Erik Spoelstra, according to Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel.