The Cavaliers are going through a bit of a rough patch lately. They’ve just completed a homestand during which they went 1-4. Their overall record is now 16-29, which is good for 11th in the Eastern Conference playoff standings, leaving them 2 1/2 games behind the Bobcats for the eighth seed. Cavs GM Chris Grant tells Bob Finnan of The News-Herald and Morning Journal that the team’s lack of effort isn’t acceptable. This view might inspire him to make some moves prior to the trade deadline. Grant also spoke with Sam Amico of Fox Sports Ohio, and stated the team would be open to the possibility of dealing, but it would be difficult to predict the market. In regards to the recently acquired Luol Deng, Grant said, “We’re happy with Deng, so if we don’t do anything, we feel like we’ve added a quality player. If there’s an opportunity to improve the team, we’ll take advantage of it.”
Some more notes from around the East:
Tom Moore of the Bucks County Courier Times had a Q&A session with Emily Gruver of The Sixer Sense.com. Moore opined that the Sixers‘ Evan Turner was more likely to be traded than Thaddeus Young. He also was intrigued by the raw potential of Dewayne Dedmon, who is on his second 10-day contract, and the Sixers have until this Sunday to make a choice on keeping him for the rest of the season or letting him go.
There are a number of different people to blame for the Pistons rough season, writes Drew Sharp of The Detroit Free Press, including team owner, Tom Gores. Sharp opines that it was Gores’ “playoffs-or-else ultimatum” that led to the signings of Josh Smith and Brandon Jennings, and created the “ill-matched” roster they currently have.
The Knicks earned a measure of revenge Tuesday night for their 41-point loss to the Celtics earlier this season, turning the tables in a 26-point victory. Still, the Knicks are a half-game out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, and mystery surrounds the matter of where Carmelo Anthony will play next season. There’s more on that amid the latest from Madison Square Garden.
Anthony brushed off inquiries on Tuesday about a weekend report suggesting he’d like to join the Bulls, cutting off a reporter in the middle of a question that seemingly was to be about whether he’d ever considered playing in Chicago. Anthony did allow for a full question about whether he had a relationship with Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau, but last year’s scoring champ replied that he didn’t, as Patrick Finley of the Chicago Sun-Times observes.
The Knicks have assigned Cole Aldrich, Toure’ Murry and Jeremy Tyler to the D-League, the team announced via Twitter. All three will practice today with the Erie BayHawks, who are spending the next few days at the Knicks training facility. The Knicks plan to recall them tomorrow, the team also tweets.
The BayHawks also spent a break in their schedule last season working at the facility, and that’s when New York assigned Amar’e Stoudemire, Chris Copeland and James White to join the BayHawks as they practiced, notes Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside. Schlosser didn’t count on the Knicks making similar assignments this year, but New York doesn’t play again until Thursday night, so it doesn’t sound like Aldrich, Murry or Tyler will miss any time for the big club.
The questions about Carmelo Anthony‘s pending free agency (assuming he opts out this offseason, as expected) continue to circulate. Anthony told reporters his wife said “nothing wrong” when claiming he would “definitely” stay with the Knicks while promoting her new book, per Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv. “That’s my wife, I support her.” He also addressed recent Bulls rumors, saying he has no relationship with Chicago coach Tom Thibodeau and hasn’t thought about Chicago as a destination.
Kerry Eggers of the Portland Tribune wouldn’t be surprised if Rick Adelman retires after this season, when he and the Timberwolves have a mutual option on his contract. Eggers would also be “shocked” if Kevin Love is still in Minnesota after next year’s trade deadline.
The Lakers are another team that gets brought up as a potential suitor for Anthony, but Larry Coon of Basketball Insiders says (via Twitter) that he hears Los Angeles doesn’t value the forward enough to offer a competitive contract.
While speaking of her disappointment in the Lakers‘ season to Janis Carr of the Orange County Register, team president for business operations Jeanie Buss maintained hope for an improved team. Despite her displeasure with oft-criticized coach Mike D’Antoni‘s hiring over Phil Jackson (her boyfriend) last year, Buss voiced support for D’Antoni. “You saw our general manager come out and give a vote of confidence to the coach,” she said. “And if he feels confident, then I have to feel confident.”
Jason Collins, who remains a free agent, was First Lady Michelle Obama’s guest at tonight’s State of the Union address. Collins tells ESPN.com he’s still training in pursuit of another NBA job, and that he’s unsure if coming out as a homosexual in the offseason has been a barrier to his continued career. “I have no idea. For me, again, it goes back to what I can control, and that’s my training.” Collins believes he can still contribute: “I know that I’m in great shape and that if I get an opportunity … if an owner, coach, GM calls my agent … I’ll be ready to play.”
The summer of 2010 shows why teams would be unwise to make compromising moves at next month’s trade deadline just to clear cap space for the coming offseason, SB Nation’s Tom Ziller writes. Few clubs land true superstars in free agency, but many more have success with cheaper additions, as Ziller explains. While we wait to see how teams position themselves for the summer ahead, here’s the latest from around the NBA:
Al Jefferson thought Kemba Walker was joking this summer when he suggested the big man should join the Bobcats, but agent Jeff Schwartz persuaded Jefferson to travel to Charlotte, where Steve Clifford helped convince the 6’10” free agent to sign. Steve Aschburner of NBA.com has more from one of 2013’s most surprising moves.
Gery Woelfel of the Racine Journal Times hears Carmelo Anthony wouldn’t mind joining Chris Paul and Blake Griffin (Twitter link). Rumors have linked Anthony to the Clippers, but most such reports suggest Griffin would go to the Knicks in return for Anthony.
The Sixers have again sent Lorenzo Brown to the D-League, the team announced. Philly sent Brown to the Delaware 87ers early Monday so he could play in their day game and recalled the point guard in time for him to appear in the big club’s loss to the Suns at night.
Jimmer Fredette may not be long for the Kings, but he isn’t destined to become the sort of star he was in college no matter where he ends up in the NBA, opines Brad Rock of the Deseret News. Rock hears the Jazz would have passed on him in the 2011 draft even if he had slipped to them at the No. 12 pick.
The United States Olympic Committee and the NCAA’s Big East Conference have shown interest in hiring incoming NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt.
Will Carmelo Anthony stay in New York? We’ve heard lots of opinions on the matter and earlier today, his wife La La Anthony weighed in. “I definitely think he will stay [in New York]. I know that he wants to stay and I support him wherever he wants to go,” La La said in an interview with Bravo TV, according to Ian Begley of ESPNNewYork.com. “Listen, I used to live in Denver with him. If I can live in Denver, I can live anywhere. I just want him to be happy.” The latest from the Atlantic Division..
Anthony badly wants to win a championship, writes Peter Botte of the New York Daily News. “(Winning a championship is) the only thing I care about. Anything else is irrelevant to me as far as when it comes to basketball,” Anthony said. “A championship is the only thing that’s on my mind, is the only thing I want to accomplish, I want to achieve and I’m going to do what I got to do to get that.” As Knicks fans are well familiar with, the Larry O’Brien trophy hasn’t come to New York since 1973.
The Sixers have recalled Lorenzo Brown from the Delaware 87ers of the D-League just hours after assigning him, tweets Bob Cooney of the Philadelphia Daily News. Brown, as our running list shows, was sent down for a single day in his previous two trips and set a new personal record today with a stint that lasted just a few hours.
There have been, “no really significant discussions,” on extending Raptors coach Dwane Casey‘s contract, a source tells Sean Deveney of the Sporting News. Instead, it appears that the Raptors will finish out what has been strange year so far and re-evaluate. That’s perfectly fine with Casey, who would have no problem returning to his home in Seattle and getting back to another passion of his. “I never worried about having a job,” Casey said. “I say that with all sincerity. I never worried about losing a job, getting a job. Because I learned a long time ago how to fish.”
The Lakers stood at .500 on December 20th, but since then, they’ve won only three of their last 19 games, leaving them without a realistic chance of making the playoffs this season. That doesn’t happen often in Lakerland, but even with a high draft pick coming, the team is focused on solving its woes via free agency. That’s the focus of the chatter around the Lakers today, less than 24 hours after could-be target Carmelo Anthony scored 35 points to help send the purple-and-gold to their latest loss. Here’s the talk:
Marc Berman of the New York Post detects an icy edge to the relationship between Anthony and Mike D’Antoni, his former coach. Berman figures the hard feelings make it unlikely that Anthony would sign with the Lakers this summer.
Bleacher Report’s Kevin Ding lays out seven reasons why Anthony won’t sign with the Lakers, suggesting that ‘Melo’s ball-stopping, defensive shortcomings, and character flaws are already giving the Lakers pause.
Within the same piece, Ding notes that Lakers brass is pleased with the job D’Antoni has done this season.
As a free agent destination, the Lakers “might be less desirable than at any point in their history,” writes Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders, who points to changing economics and increased leaguewide television exposure as reasons why.
Arash Markazi of ESPNLosAngeles.com answers reader questions in a Laker-themed mailbag column. Markazi can envision the Lakers and Pau Gasol agreeing on a much cheaper deal for the big man this summer.
January 26th, 2014 at 9:07am CST by Jonathan Nehring
As the Knicks and Lakers prepare to meet this afternoon much anticipation surrounds Carmelo Anthony‘s response to his 62-point performance Friday night. Having broken Kobe Bryant‘s Madison Square Garden point record, this matchup would have brought much more hype had Bryant been able to defend his recently broken record. Instead, Kobe sits at the end of the bench recovering from a knee injury. Bryant’s visit will not be all for naught as Marc Berman of the New York Post suspects he will spend this trip recruiting Anthony to sign with Los Angeles next summer. Berman can’t imagine Anthony having much interest in the Lakers while head coach Mike D’Antoni is still at the helm considering their differences lost D’Antoni his job in New York but “the Lakers have cap space and the Clippers and the Bulls — at the moment — don’t.”
Time will tell how effective a sales pitch Kobe makes today. In the meantime, some other notes around the Big Apple.
As we pointed out yesterday, the Bulls are gaining traction as a destination spot for Carmelo this summer and are “much more in play than L.A.”. However, Chicago Tribune reporter K.C. Johnson cautions against those rumors as he believes Anthony in a Bulls jersey is an “extreme long shot”. Johnson points to the fact the Bulls could amnesty Carlos Boozer and still not be anywhere near the cap space needed to give Anthony the maximum contract he will be seeking. According to Johnson, the Bulls would have to also trade away either Taj Gibson or Mike Dunleavy and still hope Anthony will take a discount in order to join a coach and point guard he admires. Johnson does point out that a sign-and-trade involving Boozer and the Knicks could be more likely.
Speaking of those Anthony-to-Bulls rumors, Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times claims the Bulls aren’t letting those rumors distract them. Head coach Tom Thibodeau told Cowley “[the Bulls have] gotten used to [the media’s rumors].” Cowley adds that he doesn’t believe Anthony heading to the Bulls is impossible but “the Bulls would have to be willing to go back over the luxury-tax threshold they just escaped.” They would also have to amnesty Boozer, as Cowley reiterates.
Turning our attention five miles south, Mavericks owner Mark Cubanrelayed to Dwain Price of the Star-Telgram that he “had no doubts Jason Kidd would eventually get the Brooklyn Nets turned around.” Cuban has maintained his “great relationship” with his former point guard and believes Kidd’s close relationship with Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle “is paying dividends for the Nets right now.” Cuban believes Carlisle to be “one of the two or three best (coaches) in the game at in-game adjustments and play-calling, and I’m sure (Kidd) picked up more than a few pointers when he played for Rick.”
Observing the Nets after beating Cuban’s Mavericks on Friday to improve to 9-1 of late, Beckley Mason of The New York Times believes the Nets have transformed since the beginning of this season, allowing them to exceed previous limitations. Mason attributes the Nets unique lineups, increase in defensive intensity, and ability for any player on the roster to take over each night as reasons for the sudden change in Brooklyn.
Evidence of the ability of any Net to take over on a given night, Mirza Teletovic is “making the most of his chance,” asLenn Robbins of BrooklynNets.com reports, after Teletovic scored a career-high 34 points against the Mavericks. Teletovic credits the Nets’ abundance of shooters as the reason “the guy from Europe [was left] open,” but Deron Williams believes Teletovic is “a competitor… making the most of [the opportunity].”
January 25th, 2014 at 8:24pm CST by Jonathan Nehring
As many know by now, last night was a record breaking evening for Carmelo Anthony. Anthony’s 62 point performance was not only a career-high but also eclipsed three different NBA marks. ‘Melo broke Kevin Durant‘s season high for points after three quarters with 56 points, Hall of Famer Bernard King‘s record for most points in a game as a Knick, and Kobe Bryant‘s record for most points in Madison Square Garden. With Anthony’s on-court performance grabbing attention from everyone around the NBA, Anthony’s off-court free agent decision this upcoming summer has also gained attention.
A few notes on Carmelo’s free agency:
Bernard King “knew one day Carmelo would break [his scoring] record” notes Marc Berman of the New York Post. Carmelo’s childhood idol is “delighted it happened” and hopes last night’s performance will convince Anthony to re-sign with the Knicks this summer. King disclaimed any inside information to Anthony’s decision next summer but thinks that Anthony will stay in New York next season. King cites Anthony’s desire to win championships as the reason he will realize New York is the best place in the NBA to make that dream a reality.
Providing his own take on King’s interview, Ian Begley of ESPN quotes King as asking “Where else [would Carmelo] go?” According to King, Anthony has relished his time in New York. Combining that with the love Knicks fans have for Anthony, King can’t think of any other NBA team that could offer a similar situation.
Chris Herring of the Wall Street Journal thinks by not making a “proactive step”, the Knicks are making the job of keeping Carmelo more difficult than it needs to be. Herring gives his opinion as to what the Knicks should do to convince the player they gave up a pick from next year’s draft and a third of their roster for, to remain a Knick next season. According to Herring, the Knicks should first give head coach Mike Woodson a deep performance analysis now that many of their key players have returned from injury to determine if he remains the coach of their future. If the Knicks do retain Woodson’s services, Herring thinks the Knicks should then require Woodson to change his coaching habits, primarily his defensive schemes. Lastly, Herring believes the Knicks, who have “cycled through a league-high 77 players in the past five seasons,” should make a roster change to prevent Carmelo from leaving. Players that Herring suggests the Knicks should consider moving include Raymond Felton, Tyson Chandler, and Iman Shumpert, although he warns of the mixed signals each of those moves could send to Carmelo.
Carmelo Anthony‘s 62-point performance against the Bobcats last night sure was something to behold, right? Well, not if you’re former Knicks center turned Charlotte assistant coach Patrick Ewing. “I’m upset right now because we just lost,” Ewing told reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post. “I’m not talking. I have no comment on what happened.’’ He did offer some praise for ‘Melo, but when questions persisted about Anthony, Ewing got impatient, saying, “Man, I’m done.’,’ Man, it’s the morning, so we’re just getting started. Here’s a look at the Atlantic Division..
With free agency looming, Anthony reminded everyone, and maybe even himself, why he came to New York, writes Ken Berger of CBSSports.com. Despite what could be a lost season for the Knicks, the star has been surprisingly reserved about lodging public complaints about the team.
“Chicago is much more in play for [Anthony] than L.A.,” a source told Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports in reference to the Knicks‘ star. The Bulls traded Luol Deng for draft picks and are leaning strongly toward using the amnesty provision on Carlos Boozer. They have the ability to create a maximum contract slot for Anthony, pairing him with Derrick Rose.
January 24th, 2014 at 10:56pm CST by Eddie Scarito
It would be an understatement to say the Knicks season hasn’t gone according to plan thus far. The team sits at 16-27, which is good for third place in the weak Atlantic Division. They are also currently tied for tenth in the conference with Cleveland, and two games behind the Bobcats for the eighth and final playoff spot. Even if the Knicks have a second half surge up the standings, they would be looking at a probable first-round matchup with either the Heat or the Pacers. The Knicks chances of advancing past the opening round would appear slim, given the depth and talent of those two opponents.
So the Knicks are at a crossroads, one that is vital to the team’s long-term outlook. It was only a short time ago that the Knicks traded for Carmelo Anthony. Here was the star player that they craved so badly, and even more important, he wanted to be a Knick. The Knicks had missed out on LeBron James after clearing the dead weight from their salary cap to make a run at him, and ended up with Amar’e Stoudemire instead. That rejection definitely stung the organization. So the team tore up its roster in order to make the trade with the Nuggets. After last year’s 54-28 record, with the team, and Melo, making it past the first-round of the playoffs, big things were expected this season. But the loss of some key veteran players in the offseason, a slew of injuries, and many players not meeting expectations, has Carmelo re-evaluating if he wants to remain with the team long-term.
Anthony can opt out of his deal at the end of this season and become an unrestricted free agent. It is a given that he will do so, but what isn’t so sure anymore is him re-signing with the Knicks. They own his Bird Rights, and can offer him the most money in a new deal. But many experts believe that Melo is tired of the losing, and will seek a better situation for himself. Coach Mike Woodsondisagrees with that assessment, and stated, “Melo I think is on board. I know he’s on board…He’s going to be there to the bitter end if it’s a bitter end. But right now he’s going to be there. I trust he’s going to stay there. we got to make sure everybody else is on board.” Woodson though, might not be the most reliable source, as he’s been rumored to have lost the locker room, and is firmly on the hot seat as far as his job security goes.
Anthony isn’t the reason for the Knicks woes, as he’s having a very solid season. He’s currently averaging 26.1 PPG, 9.0 RPG, and adding 3.1 APG to those numbers. His slash line is .438/.412/.847. He’s also logging 39.2 MPG, and not receiving much help from the rest of the roster. He also just broke Bernard King‘s team single-game scoring record, dropping 62 on the Bobcats tonight. This total also eclipsed Kobe Bryant for the Madison Square Garden scoring record, which was previously 61.
So the big question is: Should the Knicks trade Carmelo Anthony? If he leaves after the season, the team gets nothing in return. This would not only set the franchise back in terms of on-court talent. It would also make the trade for him seem like a terrible deal in retrospect. The other factor to consider is if Anthony is worth re-signing to what is sure to be a max contract. He turns 30 this May, and has quite a bit of mileage on him. He’s never proven that he’s capable of leading a team on his own to a title, and the Knicks would be paying max dollars for his declining years. Re-signing Anthony would severely limit the other moves the team could make, and possibly prevent them from acquiring the pieces he would need around him to win. He wants to play with another star or two, and his salary would make it difficult for the team to accommodate that wish.
So the Knicks could decide to cut their losses and try to jump start their rebuilding process. That could be easier said than done, however. The first obstacle they will face will be finding a team that can take on his $21,388,953 salary. The Knicks would have to take back a large contract or two to make the trade work. They could trade for an expiring contract, but unless the deal was sweetened with a young player they could add to their core, or they receive a first-round draft pick, they wouldn’t gain anything by trading him. Teams may balk at that price for a player who could end up a half-season rental.
The second major issue would be finding a team that Melo would be willing to re-sign with. The Clippers, Lakers, and Bulls might fit that need. There were rumors about the Clippers having internal discussions about trading Blake Griffin for Melo, but the team dismissed them as false. The Clippers might not want to disrupt their roster in the middle of the season. They also might figure they could try and sign Anthony after the season, and not have to surrender any assets now. The Lakers don’t have much to offer outside Pau Gasol‘s expiring contract, and the Bulls could offer Carlos Boozer and another player. Neither of those last two scenarios would improve the Knicks fortunes.
It’s time for you to play general manager. After examining the situation, what would you do? Would you hold out hope that Melo will stay, either because the Knicks can offer the largest contract, or out of loyalty? Or would you try and find a taker, and hope that you could get something useful for your star? Vote below, and feel free to comment on why you made that particular choice.