Derrick Rose Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Eastern Rumors: Nets, Irving, Hawks

October 12th, 2013 at 5:55pm CST by Spencer Lund

Deron Williams has yet to appear in a preseason game for the Nets, despite being the fulcrum for their $102.211MM payroll this season. If he’s kept out of the rest of the preseason, Nets coach Jason Kidd tells Rod Boone at Newsday that Deron might not be ready, conditioning wise, for the start of the season (Twitter).

Boone added, via Twitter, that Williams hasn’t had any setback with his rehabilitation, Kidd and team officials are just being cautious by keeping him out.

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving is coming up on the end of his rookie-scale contract, and Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal notes that staying healthy this season – Irving hasn’t played more than 60 games in either of this first two seasons – will go a long way towards the Cavs offering him the maximum allowable 5-year, $80MM contract next summer when he becomes eligible.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry was in Spain today to check up on 44th overall pick Mike Muscala, according to Chema De Lucas of Gigantes.com (Twitter link; hat tip to Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution). Muscala signed with Spanish club Obradoiro in the offseason, as our International Player Movement Tracker shows. Atlanta retains his NBA rights.
The AP reports Bulls point guard Derrick Rose sat out today’s preseason action against the Wizards due to “left knee soreness.”
Keith Bogans will be out “a couple weeks,” Celtics coach Brad Stevens told media today (Twitter). A. Sherrod Blakeley of CSNNE.com reports, via Twitter, Bogans had an MRI this morning that confirmed a right thumb strain. He’ll be re-evaluated this Monday.

Chuck Myron contributed to this post.

Wojnarowski On Bulls, Thibodeau, Forman, Rose

October 6th, 2013 at 9:00am CST by Chuck Myron

Last night was a milestone for the Bulls, as Derrick Rose saw his first action since the 2012 playoffs in Chicago's preseason opener against the Pacers. The euphoria of the former MVP's return from injury masks deep divides within the Bulls organization, as Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reveals. The ability of coach Tom Thibodeau and the front office to work together may hinge on the transcendence of Rose's talent, Wojnarowski argues as he dishes on the instability in Chicago:

Rose "deeply valued" former assistant coach Ron Adams, Wojnarowski writes. Adams, a close confidant of Thibodeau's who was let go this summer, had clashed with GM Gar Forman. "Ron didn't drink the Kool-Aid there, and this was a message from Gar to Thibs that he's running the show, especially on picking the players," a source said to Wojnarowski.
Thibodeau waited months to sign his extension because he was worried it would make him further beholden to Forman. One of Wojnarowski's sources described the relationship between Thibodeau and Forman as "toxic."
Luol Deng is more disappointed than he's letting on about the team's failure to engage in serious negotiations to extend his own contract, according to Wojnarowski, who identifies the small forward as a deadline trade candidate.

Eastern Notes: Rose, Bobcats, Caldwell-Pope

October 5th, 2013 at 5:40pm CST by Spencer Lund

Mark Stein of ESPN.com reports, via Twitter, that according to the "eyes of a spy I trust," Derrick Rose looks even better now than he did in the past.

Here are a few Eastern notes as fans eagerly await the return of Rose when the Bulls and Pacers tip off at 7 p.m. EST tonight in the first preseason game for each team.

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer looks at the Bobcats' bench to show how they can tap into the talents of Ben Gordon, Bismack Biyombo and others.
Bonnell also talked to Bobcats assistant coach Patrick Ewing after practice today at UNC-Asheville. Ewing doesn't want to be categorized as merely a big man coach, but that hasn't stopped Charlotte's big free agent acquisition, Al Jefferson, from soaking up his knowledge.
Despite the addition of Chauncey Billups in free agency this summer and the continued presence of Rodney Stuckey, Pistons rookie Kentavious Caldwell-Pope is making his case for the starting job at the off-guard position, writes MLive.com's David Mayo.
Entering his third year in the NBA, Knicks Journal's Keith Schlosser asks whether Iman Shumpert is under the most pressure to improve his production this coming season if the Knicks are to have a real shot in the improved Eastern Conference.

Central Links: Jennings, Rose, Datome

October 3rd, 2013 at 9:06pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Pistons guard Brandon Jennings offered a response via the media to former teammate Larry Sanders, who recently said “he has to pass to them first” after being told about how Jennings was excited to play with Greg Monroe and Andre Drummond in Detroit: “(Milwaukee) gave him $11 million, so he must be doing something right…Me and (Monta Ellis) had to take those shots. For us to even get to the (eighth) spot in the playoffs, we had to take those shots. It is what it is” (David Mayo of MLive.com). Here's more out of the Central Division tonight:

According to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune, Bulls superstar Derrick Rose is more pre-occupied about his conditioning in the pre-season opener against the Pacers rather than his surgically repaired knee: "You can run and condition yourself as much as possible, but it's nothing like getting out there and playing a game…I hope it's building my wind for it. In the future, I shouldn't have anything to worry about."
In another piece from Mayo, Gigi Datome opens up about attending his first NBA training camp with the Pistons and some of his experiences so far: "The best players in the world are here, so everybody's more quick, more fast, more physical, and for sure also skilled…I'm going to get better, for sure, (and) have to get used to this as quick as possible."
Caron Butler already appears to be relishing his leadership role on the Bucks and is enjoying his homecoming thus far in Wisconsin (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
Jeffery Taylor hopes to continue the success he had over the summer with the Bobcats this season, writes Tom Sorensen of the Charlotte Observer. Aside from a strong performance for Charlotte's summer league team in Las Vegas, the 6'7 swingman also emerged as Sweden's best player in the FIBA Eurobasket Tournament.
In another Bobcats-related article, Rick Bonnell (also of the Charlotte Observer) takes a closer look at how forward Josh McRoberts has found his niche with the team.

Central Rumors: Rose, Butler, Bucks, Bulls

September 28th, 2013 at 11:02pm CST by Spencer Lund

The Bulls opened training camp today, and that meant a return to the practice court with a 100 percent healthy Derrick Rose. The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson relayed quotes from coach Tom Thibodeau, Bulls starters Carlos Boozer and others proclaiming the old Rose's return.

Rose was attacking the basket during scrimmages with a ferocity not seen when he was cleared to play in the spring.

“I got confidence in my (surgically repaired left) knee,” Rose told the Tribune. “There’s no testing anymore. It’s going out there and playing hard and attacking.”

“He attacked all day, in fact from the start,” Thibodeau revealed. “He made that clear.” Boozer added that "Pooh" – Rose's nickname – "had it going. It was like old times."

Rose is doing one thing differently from before tearing his ACL at the start of the 2012 Playoffs.

“I’m really taking stretching serious before and after — when I wake up, before I go to sleep. I just try to get my body as loose as possible because when you have ACL tears, your hamstrings will be the first things that go especially when you’re fatigued. Me building that tolerance up on my leg, I think that will help me in the long run.”

Here's more on Rose's return to practice, Jimmy Butler's excellent showing and divisional rivals, the Bucks…

The sentiments expressed by the players and coach in the Tribune's piece on the first practice of the 2013/14 season were echoed by Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun Times. Derrick Rose is back attacking the rim, and despite some hard fouls was fine with the contact.
Rose also offered some insight into his decision not to come back for the playoffs last season after being cleared to play. "I knew I wasn’t ready to take on a double team in the playoffs, so I had to make the decision not to come back," Rose said.
Another player who impressed coach Tom Thibodeau at the first day of practice, was 6'7" swingman Jimmy Butler. Thibs told the Tribune's Johnson "[Butler is] an excellent athlete, very explosive, very quick to the ball. That tells you how he sees the game. His reaction to the ball is special. He's very quick, strong, can think ahead, very strong."
The former Marquette player won the starting shooting guard spot last season with Chicago after some blanket defense on the wing, and improved 3-point shooting.
The Sun-Times' Cowley also paid deference to Butler saying that – other than Rose – he got the most attention after the first day of practice.
After the Bucks were again eliminated in the first round of the playoffs last season, GM John Hammond started the offseason ready to make big changes, writes the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel's Charles F. Gardner.
After hiring a new coach – Larry Drew, formerly of the Hawks – the Bucks traded their point guard Brandon Jennings to the Pistons and let their other guard Monta Ellis leave for the Mavs. Hammond will see what a fresh start can do after the largest roster overhaul in his five years as GM.

Eastern Notes: Bulls, Wizards, Hawks

September 26th, 2013 at 10:45pm CST by Ryan Raroque

K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune discusses the health of Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah, Luol Deng's uncertain long-term future with the franchise, how Mike Dunleavy Jr. will look to mesh with the roster, and how Jimmy Butler will handle a move to starting shooting guard as five things to look at for the Bulls going into fall. Here's more out of the Eastern Conference tonight:

Aggrey Sam of CSN Chicago (via Twitter) says that Chicago's official training camp roster is expected to be released tomorrow but doesn't expect Malcolm Thomas or Chris Wright to be on the list.
Michael Lee of CSN Washington wonders if John Wall is ready to lead the Wizards to the playoffs, who will step up in the absence of Emeka Okafor, if Bradley Beal is primed for a breakout season, what to expect from Otto Porter, and the health of Nene as the team's top storylines heading into training camp.
Hawks GM Danny Ferry wouldn't set a timeline for the return of Louis Williams (who is still recovering from reconstructive knee surgery), though he did say that the eighth-year guard has been playing one-on-one games and has had no restrictions in doing so. Ferry also appeared encouraged about what Dennis Schröder can contribute to the team now as a promising prospect and said that Lucas Nogueira and Mike Muscala still need to continue their development overseas (USA Today via the Associated Press).
As Tom Layman of the Boston Herald points out, Celtics coach Brad Stevens will look toward Avery Bradley to be the team's floor general while they wait for the return of Rajon Rondo. In another piece, a handful of college coaches had positive comments for Stevens regarding how they believe he'll be able to transition to the NBA game (NBA.com via the Associated Press).
With Steve Mills in place as the Knicks' newest GM, Yannis Koutroupis of Hoopsworld thinks that it will be important for Mills to start forming a strong relationship with Carmelo Anthony now, especially with the possibility that he could become a free agent this upcoming summer.
Since arriving in New York City, Anthony has been able to build his brand and explore plenty of business opportunities, writes Jared Zwerling of Bleacher Report. From the sound of it, Zwerling doesn't think that Anthony will be leaving New York anytime soon, even with an opt-out clause at the end of the season.
Ian Begley of ESPN New York examines the orange and blue's current situation at small forward.
With the rest of the NBA's power elite growing tired of the Heat's dominance, Sam Amick of USA Today delves into why the 2013/14 season could be Miami's toughest campaign for a title yet. Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times notes that the Bulls are especially eager to put a halt to the Heat's reign as the NBA's top dog.

Odds & Ends: Dwight, Bulls, Deron

September 19th, 2013 at 10:50pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Amidst the buzz surrounding the 2013 Basketball Hall of Fame induction a little over a week ago, you may have heard legendary Brazilian basketball player Oscar Schmidt proclaim that he could have been one of the best 10 players ever if he had joined the NBA. In hindsight, it's interesting to ponder some of the 'what ifs' and how they may have altered the landscape and history of the league.

One could think about how the NBA would have been different if Larry Bird didn't fall five spots to the Celtics during the 1978 draft, if Kobe Bryant hadn't fallen to number 13 in 1996, or if Michael Jordan hadn't retired before the 1993/94 season to name a few. Regardless, there are plenty of other possibilities to consider.

Jonathan Abrams of Grantland sheds light on one particular what-could-have-been, chronicling the rise and fall of Korleone Young, a promising 6'7" small forward who like Kobe, Tracy McGrady, and Kevin Garnett before him attempted to make the jump from high school to the NBA in 1998. In his comprehensive piece, Abrams supplements Young's story with commentary from several people who had crossed paths with him along his journey, including Young's prep-school rival Al Harrington, former Pistons head coach Alvin Gentry, and former Pistons assistant (and current Bucks GM) John Hammond, who had this to share based on what he'd seen in practices:

"We used to talk about the way in which (Young) defended (then-star) Grant Hill on a daily basis. We used to say it tongue-in-cheek but [also] somewhat seriously: 'No one defended Grant Hill in this league as well as Korleone Young."

With that aside, let's round up the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links from the NBA:

Sam Amick of USA Today writes about how Dwight Howard has found greener pastures in Houston and why the rest of the NBA will have to lament the reality that another Western Conference contender has been born.
A handful of HoopsWorld panelists put together a season preview of the Bulls for 2013/14. With much of the team's success hinging on how much Derrick Rose can return to form, three writers pick Chicago to finish second in the Central Division, while two have them running away with the division title.
Nets guard Deron Williams was spotted at his charity dodgeball event earlier today with a walking boot over the same ankle that had been giving him problems last season, though he insisted that the boot was just precautionary: “As long as I’m ready (for the season opener), that’s all that matters to me…If it was up to me, I would be playing right now. I can walk fine. It doesn’t hurt. It’s just protecting me from myself” (Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News).
Eddie Sefko of SportsDayDFW says that with Dirk Nowitzki healthy, the Mavericks won't take a backseat to anybody in the league in terms of talent at the power forward position.
Tommy Dee of Ridiculous Upside presents a scouting report of free agent big man Hassan Whiteside, who had recently drawn reported interest from the Knicks, Heat, and Bucks.
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside explains why the NBDL will continue to develop front office executives at a much more efficient rate than players at this point, mentioning that while prospective staffers can work to rise up the ranks while committed to a specific NBA franchise, the players can be called up at anytime and by any NBA team regardless of D-League affiliation.
HoopsWorld's Moke Hamilton held his weekly chat with readers earlier this evening, offering his thoughts on why he thinks the Knicks will repeat as Atlantic Division champions, why teams might be shying away from Renaldo Balkman, the Western Conference playoff race, and the Warriors' ceiling among other topics.
Jim Eichenhofer of Pelicans.com continues his countdown of reasons why New Orleans fans should be excited about training camp, placing the offseason progress made by the team's quartet of sophomores – namely Anthony Davis, Austin Rivers, Brian Roberts, and Darius Miller – at number 13.

Eastern Notes: World Peace, Bucks, Rose, Hawks

September 19th, 2013 at 10:47am CST by Luke Adams

So far this morning, we've passed along word of Nerlens Noel's contract with the Sixers, and heard confirmation from the Raptors that they've signed three players to training camp deals. Here are a few more items from around the Eastern Conference:

Metta World Peace tells Dan Duggan of Newsday that he "got calls from Oklahoma and the Clippers and all these teams" when he was amnestied by the Lakers, but he's happy with his decision to sign with the Knicks.
Speaking at the Bucks Partner Summit in Milwaukee yesterday, future NBA commissioner Adam Silver made it clear that the city is in need of a new arena, writes Rich Kirchen of The Business Journal. "At the end of the day compared to other modern arenas in the league, this arena is a few hundred thousand square feet too small," Silver said. "It doesn’t have the sort of back-of-house space you need, doesn’t have the kinds of amenities we need."
Derrick Rose has said in the past that he has little interest in actively recruiting other players to the Bulls, and as he prepares to return from an ACL injury, he's sticking to that stance. "I don't recruit. If anyone wants to play with me, I don't mind playing with, it could be anyone in the NBA, but as far as recruiting, I never did and never will," Rose told Rappler.com (link via ESPNChicago.com).
Alex Kennedy of HoopsWorld examines the Hawks' signing of Paul Millsap, which he views as one of the more underappreciated moves of the summer.

Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Cuban, Bulls

September 5th, 2013 at 11:23pm CST by Ryan Raroque

There's hardly a dull moment with Mark Cuban when he speaks with the media, as the outspoken Mavericks owner said on the Artie Lange Show that hiring a head coach is "harder than finding a wife" (hat tip to SportsDayDFW). On a more serious note, Cuban explained why he'll never trade Dirk Nowitzki:

"Dirk defines our culture. When your best player, no matter how old, is the first one in the gym and the last to leave, and works the hardest and encourages guys the way Dirk does … that has a value that goes far beyond what you see on the court."

Here's a roundup of the rest of tonight's links:

Cuban briefly goes into the thought process behind his decision to buy the team.
SportsDayDFW's Tim Cowlishaw isn't interested in the idea of bringing Michael Beasley to Dallas.
With Luol Deng set to become a free agent next summer and Carlos Boozer a prime candidate to be amnestied, it's now or never for the core of this current Bulls team, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. Cowley also passes along some notable quotes on Derrick Rose, who according to GM Gar Forman "seems like he's doing great, feels good, strong…everything has been positive." Forman added that Rose stayed away from pickup games this summer but has done enough to work on his game.
The NBA will install tracking cameras in every arena around the league starting next season, which will present a vastly different way of experiencing and evaluating the game for analysts, casual fans, and the like (Associated Press via ESPN).
Stephen Curry can now focus on basketball after a busy summer and has already organized voluntary team workouts (Associated Press via NBA.com). In another piece, Marcus Thompson II of the Bay Area News Group goes in-depth about how Curry has embraced his role as the Warriors' leader.
Kevin Ding of the OC Register further analyzes the Lakers' decision to sign Xavier Henry (Subscribers only).

Vogel On East, Offseason, Granger, Hibbert

August 27th, 2013 at 7:16pm CST by Alex Lee

Pacers head coach Frank Vogel was a guest on ESPN Radio in Indianapolis today and Scott Agness of Pacers.com transcribed much of the interview for us. Vogel hits on a number of topics, but specifically discussed the offseason developments at the top of the Eastern Conference, including those within his own team. Here are a few key points from Vogel:

Vogel mentioned the Bulls and Nets as the two teams that have taken big steps forward this offseason; Chicago with the return of Derrick Rose and Brooklyn with their bevy of additions. Vogel lauded the bench additions of Jason Terry and Andrei Kirilenko in Brooklyn, and said he expects good things from Jason Kidd as an NBA coach.
The Pacers' addition of Luis Scola will really help the team's bench, Vogel said, adding that Scola is one of smartest and most creative players in the league. Vogel said that Solomon Hill, drafted 23rd by Indiana in June, is "ready to contribute right away" and also mentioned C.J. Watson and Chris Copeland as useful additions to his squad.
Of course, the piece most likely to elevate the Pacers to the next level is the return of Danny Granger, who missed all but five games last season with knee issues. On Granger, Vogel said, "It’s really exciting. Danny is on schedule, looks really good, he’s making progress each week and we’re hoping that we're going to be having a full-strength Danny Granger this year to add to this team that made a lot of noise last year."
Roy Hibbert has concentrated on bulking up this summer, according to Vogel. Hibbert, who established himself as an elite physical presence in last season's playoffs, is adding bulk mainly in hopes of improving on the offensive end, Vogel said.