Derrick Rose Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Odds & Ends: Garnett, Rose, Knicks, Blazers

February 13th, 2013 at 11:36pm CST by Alex Lee

Kevin Garnett made some cryptic comments after the Celtics win on Wednesday night, stating that this weekend's festivities will be his last All-Star game, tweets Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. Garnett signed a three-year extension with Boston in the offseason, so this statement obviously prompted confusion and resulting questions from media (via Chris Forsberg on ESPN.com):

"Y'all don't know what I know," Garnett said. "So, let's put it like this: I'm more than grateful for going, but I'm not going to act like I've got more All-Star Games in me, so I'm actually going to enjoy this one with some friends and family."

Garnett could obviously be implying that he will decline future All-Star invites, but given his tendency for hinting at walking away from the game, this is something worth following. Here are some other things going on around the league:

With his knee still bothering him, Derrick Rose told reporters that he "won't mind missing this year" if he isn't ready, writes Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times. This was the first time Rose spoke to the media since the start of the regular season, making this a surprising revelation. Rose was originally thought to be aiming for a post All-Star break return, but that sure seems like a long shot at this point. Based on Rose's words, it is clear that he intends to come back on his terms and will only do so when he is entirely healthy.
If the Knicks are truly inquiring on Luke Ridnour, sharpshooter Steve Novak may be the only piece they can move to get it done, writes Chris Sheridan of Sheridan Hoops. Novak, recently relegated to more of a reserve role, makes $4.05MM — a number that matches up nicely against Ridnour's $4MM for this year and $4.3MM for next. Sheridan writes that Jason Kidd and Pablo Prigioni aren't real options to play meaningful minutes at the point. Sheridan considers Will Bynum of the Pistons to be the best fit for the Knicks.
Even if no high profile players are dealt by next week's deadline, look no further than last year to see how much a mid-level trade can make an impact on a franchise. The Blazers trade of Gerald Wallace to the Nets — while it didn't alter the landscape of the league a bit last year — resulted in the acquisition of Damian Lillard via the NBA Draft, and the subsequent expediting of the Blazers rebuilding process, says Ben Golliver of Blazer's Edge.
Asked about the Lakers personnel, Hall of Fame basketball writer Mark Heisler, now of Sheridan Hoops, says via video that the Lakers won't be moving Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol or Kobe Bryant this year. Looking to the future, Hesiler says the team's No. 1 priority is to lock up Howard because, quite simply, he is "the only young player they have who's any good."

Eastern Links: Rose, Pargo, Shumpert, Will Bynum

February 12th, 2013 at 2:46pm CST by Luke Adams

As the Bulls continue to hang around in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race, there's been speculation that getting a certain former MVP back in the lineup could make Chicago the biggest threat to knock off the Heat. But as he tells Jeff Zillgitt of USA Today, Derrick Rose doesn't have a set timetable for his return and isn't about to rush back.

"I'm not coming back until I'm 110%," Rose said. "Who knows when that can be? It can be within a couple of weeks. It could be next year. It could be any day. It could be any time. It's just that I'm not coming back until I'm ready."

As Bulls fans wait on Rose, let's round up a few links from around the Eastern Conference:

Jannero Pargo's second 10-day contract with the Hawks expired last night, and though Atlanta has interest in retaining him for the season, the team will keep the roster spot open for now, according to Ken Berger of CBSSports.com (via Twitter). With just 14 guaranteed contracts on the books, the Hawks have a little flexibility to take on a player at the trade deadline.
Tommy Beer of HoopsWorld weighs the pros and cons for the Knicks if they were to trade Iman Shumpert.
Will Bynum's name figures to pop up in trade rumors over the next nine days, but the Pistons guard isn't thinking about that at all, according to David Mayo of MLive.com.
ESPN.com's 5-on-5 panel debates whether "sell-high" trade candidates such as Amare Stoudemire, Kyle Korver, and Jameer Nelson would be worth the risk for potential suitors.
The Pacers are the team that would benefit the most by acquiring J.J. Redick from the Magic, writes Bradford Doolittle in an Insider-only piece for ESPN.com.

Eastern Notes: Nelson, Bynum, Rose, Celtics

January 21st, 2013 at 7:53pm CST by Michael Pina

Magic guard Jameer Nelson is playing some of his best basketball of the season right now, and according to the Orlando Sentinel's Brian Schmitz, the 30-year-old point guard is interested in playing until he's 40. Nelson signed a three-year contract with the Magic before this season.

CSNPhilly.com's John Finger reports that Sixers center Andrew Bynum has said he isn't feeling a lot of pain in his surgically repaired knee, and that his debut could come around the All-Star break.
ESPNBoston.com's Chris Forsberg answered questions from readers about the Celtics recent struggles, and the likelihood that the team blows everything up.
The Chicago Tribune's K.C. Johnson tweets that Derrick Rose could take part in full-contact drills as soon as this week in practice.

Odds & Ends: Rose, Coaches, Joseph

January 12th, 2013 at 7:05pm CST by Michael Pina

Given all that's known medically regarding serious knee injuries today, the advisers for Derrick Rose are strongly suggesting he sit out the rest of the season, reports Comcast reporter Ric Bucher.

SheridanHoops.com's Brian Geltzeiler speculates on several NBA head coaches who could be fired before the season is over.
Former Celtics rookie Kris Joseph is fielding offers from several teams overseas, according to HoopsHype.com. The forward was drafted in the second round by Boston in the 2012 NBA draft, and waived earlier this month.

Injury Updates: Rose, Gasol, Varejao, Shumpert

January 8th, 2013 at 11:18pm CST by Ryan Raroque

While injury news may not be part of our main scope at Hoops Rumors, we have a handful of updates to share this evening:

Kevin Love will travel to New York on Wednesday in order to determine whether or not he'll need surgery on his broken right hand, according to Kent Youngblood of the Star Tribune.
Derrick Rose should be cleared for full-contact practice within the next two weeks, according to K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune (Subscribers only). Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times provided another look at the superstar's return to practice today, noting that Rose looked good in "predictable contact" drills.
Kevin Ding of the OC Register (via Twitter) notes that Dwight Howard's injury is actually a separated shoulder (not a torn labrum) and that he hopes to return after a week of recovery. Mark Medina of the Los Angeles Daily News tweets that Dwight's injury will not require surgery.

Odds & Ends: Lakers, Rose, DeQuan Jones

January 5th, 2013 at 4:59pm CST by Chuck Myron

It's a 10-game night in the NBA, and the best game might be the last one to tip off, as the Warriors and Clippers square off for the second time in four days. The teams, who occupy the top two spots in the Pacific Division, will also meet January 21st, so it's a taste of playoff-level familiarity for untested Golden State. Here's more from around the Association.

Mark Heisler, writing for The New York Times, reveals that part of the reason the Lakers hired Mike D'Antoni instead of Phil Jackson was because the front office was concerned the triangle offense would minimize Steve Nash's effect on the offense.
People who've seen Derrick Rose work out believe he's almost ready to return, but the Bulls front office and coaching staff have different opinions on when the star point guard will be back on the court, as Mitch Lawrence of the New York Daily News writes.
The Magic can place DeQuan Jones on waivers by Monday afternoon and avoid paying him his full rookie minimum salary this season, but as Josh Robbins affirms via Twitter, it's unlikely the team will do that with the 6'8" small forward who rejoined the team's starting lineup this week.
With another bumper crop of prospects on the way, including point guard Andrew Harrison, No. 3 on the Draft Express 2014 mock, and twin brother Aaron Harrison, 13th on that list, next year's University of Kentucky team is already drawing plenty of interest from NBA scouts. Some teams will assign scouts to Lexington for the entire season, notes Adam Zagoria of SNY.tv (Twitter links).
Keith Schlosser of Ridiculous Upside engages Mike James in a Q&A after the 37-year-old guard signed this week with the Texas Legends of the D-League in hopes of getting a call-up from the Mavericks.

Eastern Notes: Bobcats, Rose, Garnett, Knicks

December 30th, 2012 at 11:00pm CST by Michael Pina

According to a tweet from FoxSportsOhio.com's Sam Amico, the Bobcats might be preparing to make an offer for Kings center DeMarcus Cousins.

According to Bulls head coach Tom Thibodeau, Derrick Rose is conducting non-contact drills in practice with his team, but is nowhere near returning to game action, writes ESPNChicago.com's Nick Friedell.
Celtics center Kevin Garnett discusses myriad of issues with Yahoo! NBA reporter Marc J. Spears.
The Knicks are anxiously awaiting the return of several key players, including Amare Stoudemire and Iman Shumpert, writes USA Today's Sam Amick.
According to the Orlando Sentinel's Josh Robbins, the Magic are on pace to set an NBA record for free-throws attempted per game.
Pacers guard Lance Stephenson is having a productive season in an expanded role, and it's a good thing Indiana didn't let him go, writes IndyStar.com's Mike Wells.

Odds & Ends: Batum, Gallinari, Kabongo, Lee

December 20th, 2012 at 10:08pm CST by Ryan Raroque

Jason Quick of the Oregonian looks at the friendly rivalry between the Trail Blazers' Nicolas Batum and the Nuggets' Danilo Gallinari that has stemmed from their days as young Euroleague stars hoping to make it into the NBA. Most notably, Quick mentions that Batum's salary negotiations this past summer were influenced by the type of deals that Gallinari, Marvin Williams, and Arron Afflalo had received with their respective teams. With that aside, here are a few more rumblings from around the Association tonight:

Derrick Rose took part in the non-contact portion of Bulls practice today, although coach Tom Thibodeau has not yet placed a timetable on the superstar's return (Seth Gruen of the Chicago Sun-Times reports).
Despite a strong start to the season, the Warriors' upcoming stretch against teams that have a notable inside presence will help determine if their interior defensive struggles against the Kings were either minor or a sign of a major problem, writes Marcus Thompson II of MercuryNews.com.
Rookie Royce White is "hopeful" that he'll play for the Rockets again sometime this season (Mark Berman of Fox 26 tweets).
1500 ESPN's Darren Wolfson confirms earlier speculation via a team source that Timberwolves guard Malcolm Lee will be sidelined for the rest of the year (Twitter link).
Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune tweeted that Chris Douglas-Roberts is another top option available for the Timberwolves in addition to Michael Redd.
In his Nuggets Mailbag, Benjamin Hochman of The Denver Post discusses why he thinks Gallinari has shown the capability of being a clutch All-Star type of player, why Carmelo Anthony isn't necessarily the clear-cut MVP right now, and the Nuggets' decision to commit to a long-term deal with Ty Lawson.

Eastern Notes: Bynum, Blatche, Wizards, Scott

December 11th, 2012 at 12:43pm CST by Luke Adams

On the heels of Andrew Bynum's comments yesterday, in which he suggested he could miss another month, Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld says league sources wonder if Bynum's prolonged rehab is about trying to get healthy for his upcoming free agency. However, 76ers sources tell Kyler that if the team remains in the hunt and Bynum returns at some point in January, they're okay with the wait.

Here are a few more Tuesday notes out of the Eastern Conference:

Andray Blatche and the Nets are both reaping the benefits of Brooklyn's willingness to bring the ex-Wizard aboard on a minimum-salary deal, writes ESPN.com's David Thorpe in an Insider-only piece.
Despite working out a couple point guards over the weekend, the Wizards are staying the course and not adding anyone to the roster for now, according to Gene Wang of the Washington Post. "We’re looking at different scenarios," coach Randy Wittman said. "Obviously brought a couple guys in [on Sunday], looked at, and we’re still, we haven’t done anything. Don’t know when or if we will do anything, but we’re looking at different scenarios, different options, different people. We’re not going to make a snap quick judgment. There’s not a guy out there right now that warrants that, so we’re going to take our time and look at some different guys and see what best fits us moving forward."
With the Bakersfield Jam not scheduled to play their next game until Friday, the Hawks are set to recall Mike Scott from their D-League affiliate, says Chris Vivlamore of the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
While one school of thought suggests the Bulls shouldn't bring Derrick Rose back from his ACL injury until the 2013/14 season, Neil Hayes of the Chicago Sun-Times explains why that would be playing it too safe.

Central Rumors: Rose, Evans, Jaric, Pacers, Sloan

December 3rd, 2012 at 9:39pm CST by Chuck Myron

Three Central Division teams were in action tonight, as the Bucks endured a surprising blowout loss to the Hornets and fell out of a first-place tie with the Bulls, while the Pistons beat the cellar-dwelling Cavs. Chicago, at 8-7, is the best of an underwhelming bunch, and we rounded up several Bulls rumors earlier today. We have more on them and their Central rivals tonight.

Joe Cowley of the Chicago Sun-Times hears Derrick Rose might be only weeks away from practicing, but cautions that it's unclear whether that means he's ahead of schedule for his return to playing, which is thought to be slated for February.
The Daily Herald's Mike McGraw doesn't believe the rumor that Bulls will go after Maurice Evans, tweeting that "now is not the time" to add another player, given the team's constraints under the $74.3MM hard cap. The Bulls are eligible to sign someone to a veteran's minimum deal, but a fully guaranteed deal wouldn't allow them to add anyone else for a while longer.
K.C. Johnson of the Chicago Tribune mentions training-camp invitee Marko Jaric as a possible signing if the Bulls opt to add a player (Twitter link).
Sean Deveney of The Sporting News examines the struggles of the Pacers, describing the play of their offseason acquisitions as "awful across the board." Deveney also points to the regression of Roy Hibbert, who's fresh off signing a new four-year deal this summer.
The Sporting News scribe doesn't spare Paul George from criticism, either, and Curt Cavin of the Indianapolis Star takes a closer look at the inconsistent offensive play of the third-year swingman who'll be eligible for an extension next summer.
Donald Sloan's defensive shortcomings caused him to fall out of the Cavs rotation before injuries to others forced him back in, and the minimum-salary point guard, who's without a guarantee on his deal, admits he's nervous about getting cut, as Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal documents.