Brigham On Future Contenders
Joel Brigham of HoopsWorld has a new column examining which teams have a chance to be title contenders five seasons from now, taking into account possible moves in free agency and the ages of the teams' core players.
- Brigham believes the Thunder still have the brightest future, given that Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Serge Ibaka will all be under 30 in five seasons.
- LeBron James' free agency will play a major role in determining the next title contender, Brigham writes. The health and effectiveness of Dwyane Wade will determine whether James stays with the Heat, but the Cavaliers and Lakers are also possible destinations.
- On that note, Brigham writes that, although Kyrie Irving is blossoming into a superstar, the Cavs will not be a contender unless James signs in Cleveland.
- The Bulls will still be contenders if Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah stay healthy, Brigham writes. He also notes that Nikola Mirotic will have come over to the NBA by then.
- The trade for Thomas Robinson added another young piece to the James Harden/Jeremy Lin core the Rockets have built, Brigham writes. Additionally, the team is still well under the cap and can add another high-level player via free agency.
- Damian Lillard and LaMarcus Aldridge give the Blazers a solid core to build around, writes Brigham.
- Brigham writes that there will be uncertainty every year for the next five as to whether Chris Paul will still be with the Clippers.
- Even if Stephen Curry's ankles don't hold up, Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes give the Warriors a good young core, Brigham says.
- Brigham writes that the Pacers have excellent cornerstone players in Roy Hibbert and Paul George.
Northwest Links: Aldridge, Thunder, Harden
Three Northwest Division teams are on track to make the playoffs, but only one of them is sending any players to the All-Star Game. Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook will represent the first-place Thunder, and they're joined by LaMarcus Aldridge of the Trail Blazers, the Northwest's other All-Star whose Portland team hits the break three games out of the last playoff spot in the West. All three All-Stars are making noise as the events begin in Houston, where James Harden, the Thunder's erstwhile third All-Star, plays the role of unofficial host. Here's more on all of them:
- Aldridge will have the chance this weekend to try to recruit some fellow All-Stars to the Blazers, and he said his pitch will center on the team's fans, its young core of players and this summer's cap space, which could exceed $13MM, as Chris Haynes of CSNNW.com writes.
- Westbrook and Durant acknowledged that the Thunder haven't missed a beat following the Harden trade, notes Jason McDaniel of the Houston Chronicle. "We’re different, but I think we’re just as good," Durant said. "James, don’t get me wrong, he’s a phenomenal player, but we lost him and we got Kevin Martin back, who’s a really good player as well. And I think for the passing ability that we lost with James, and his defense, we make up for it with Russell and myself, and the guys on the bench that help.”
- Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman chronicles Harden's remarks to reporters on his feelings about Durant and Westbrook and what it will be like to play with his old teammates at the All-Star Game, among other topics.
Western Notes: Timberwolves, Rockets, Clippers
Back in December, there were some rumblings of frustration brewing with Kevin Love about the direction of the Timberwolves franchise (though he would insist that he desired to stay in Minnesota soon after making those comments). Today, team owner Glen Taylor said that after meeting with Love this week, both of them are – and have been – on the same page. Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press writes that Taylor and Love have met periodically to discuss the future of the team, and that their latest encounter has given the impression that all is currently well in Minnesota. Here's the rest of tonight's miscellaneous links out of the Western Conference:
- Kevin McHale thinks that having James Harden will make the Rockets an attractive destination for free agents (Jonathan Feigen of Ultimate Rockets reports). In another article, Sam Amick of USA Today talks about Harden's emergence into superstardom in Houston.
- Jamal Crawford tells HoopsHype that he doesn't want the Clippers to make any trades right now: "We are family and it would be like trading a family member…We don’t think there is one thing we need that is missing. We have everything."
- Dave of the Blazers Edge answered a few questions about the Trail Blazers in his mailbag, saying that it's a "pretty safe bet" that Portland won't retain many of its bench players next season and that a backup point guard will surely be a target. He mentions Luke Ridnour and Jarrett Jack as hypothetical targets, but adds that the team will have to be wary of the cap in order to try adding a starting center or quality bench players as well.
- Tim Cowlishaw of SportsDayDFW took part in a chat with fans earlier today about the Mavericks. Among his more notable thoughts are that Dallas will miss out on the big names this summer and that he doesn't believe Dirk Nowitzki will ask to be traded. In the event that Dirk wants out, Cowlishaw thinks that Mark Cuban would try to convince him to stay first. In another article, Eddie Sefko (also of SportsDayDFW) makes an argument about why Darren Collison could be a keeper moving forward.
- The Warriors have taken pride in the progress they've made this season, and with four representatives participating in the All-Star weekend festivities, higher ratings for games, and sitting 30-22 in the Western Conference, there is a sense that Golden State is headed in the right direction (Marcus Thompson II of San Jose Mercury News).
Rockets GM Focused On Offseason, Not Deadline
Josh Smith, Carlos Boozer and other prominent names have surfaced in trade rumors the past few days, but as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle details, Rockets GM Daryl Morey isn't willing to make a deal before the deadline if it precludes the team from seeking marquee talent in free agency.
"Except if something unexpected comes along, someone signed that is very good and wants to be moved, we plan to keep our flexibility as an available destination for whatever free agent is available in July," the GM said.
Morey didn't rule out a minor move like last year's deadline deal that brought in Marcus Camby, as long as it doesn't compromise the team's summer plans. The Rockets have about $40MM in commitments for next season, which should be enough room to sign a maximum-salary free agent. Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reported this week that the Rockets are interested in Dwight Howard and, if they miss out on him, Andrew Bynum, both of whom will be free agents this summer. Reports have also linked Houston to Smith, who could be had either at the deadline or in the offseason.
As Feigen notes, James Harden continues to make a recruiting pitches to other stars around the league, but declines to name just whom he's been talking to. Harden would probably run afoul of the league's tampering rules if he did divulge any names, but, having signed a five-year extension that will keep him in Houston through the 2017/18 season, it's clear he wants the team to bring in more talent around him. The Rockets, tied with the Jazz for seventh place in the Western Conference, have a two-game lead on the Blazers for the last playoff spot, and Harden believes making the postseason would be a key in attracting free agents as well.
Odds & Ends: Calderon, Timberwolves, Harden, Irving
A few random notes from around the league.
- Pistons point guard Jose Calderon can't join the team until his work visa is cleared, and right now it's unclear when that will be, writes MLive.com's David Mayo. Calderon could miss Detroit's next two games.
- The Timberwolves have talent in their backcourt, but unfortunately they're too small for head coach Rick Adelman's taste, writes St. Paul Pioneer-Press' Ray Richardson.
- James Harden's ability to get to the rim is amazing, but just as incredible is his strength once he gets there, writes the Houston Chronicle's Jonathan Feigen.
- After scoring 13 points in the final three minutes of tonight's win against the Thunder, Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving is getting more than a few comparisons to Derrick Rose, writes Ohio.com's Jason Lloyd.
Odds & Ends: Mavericks, Most Improved, George
With six games on the NBA docket tonight, let's round up any odds and ends from around the Association here:
- In HoopsWorld's NBA PM column, Alex Kennedy summarizes some of the trade chatter we've heard recently from the Mavericks, Grizzlies, Raptors, Rockets, Lakers, Magic and Jazz.
- Speaking of the Mavs, despite Mark Cuban's recent bold proclamations, Tim MacMahon of ESPN Dallas writes that it is business as usual in Dallas. While some of the Mavs players admit that swirling rumors can be a distraction, Rick Carlisle says it has always been the norm in his time under Cuban.
- In a Yahoo Sports video, Greg Anthony and Marc J. Spears discuss the leading candidates for the NBA's Most Improved Player award, specifically mentioning Paul George, James Harden, Greivis Vasquez, Nikola Vucevic and Jrue Holiday as the current contenders.
- In the New York Times' Off The Dribble blog, Jim Cavan writes that the Pacers have been one of the few teams that has arguably benefited from losing a superstar to injury this year, citing the emergence of Paul George as a franchise player in Danny Granger's absence as the reason.
Odds & Ends: Wall, Felton, Raptors, Harden
A pair of teams at opposite ends of the standings received news about their point guards that conflicts with the way their seasons have gone so far. John Wall told Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that he's targeting sometime next month for his return to the Wizards from a left patella injury that's kept him out all season. Raymond Felton of the Knicks, meanwhile, told reporters, including Marc Berman of the New York Post (Twitter link), that he'll likely have surgery on his broken right pinkie finger that will keep him out four to six weeks. While we don't normally cover injuries at Hoops Rumors, we do so when an absence could have an effect on personnel moves, and there's news on a couple more guys whose health could signal change.
- Raptors officials said that center Jonas Valanciunas will miss the next four to six weeks with a broken ring finger on his right hand, as Doug Smith of the Toronto Star notes, which might complicate matters if the team intends to trade Andrea Bargnani anytime soon while remaining competitive this season. With Bargnani still recovering from a torn elbow ligament, Aaron Gray has become a starter.
- Smith also writes that coach Dwane Casey has decided he'll keep Jose Calderon in the starting lineup even when Kyle Lowry returns from a torn right triceps muscle. Calderon has long been a trade candidate, but the team could dangle Lowry instead, as we heard earlier today.
- The Timberwolves had contact with the Thunder about acquiring James Harden, but Minnesota was rebuffed, tweets Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN. It's unclear how far talks got, but it's no surprise that the Wolves at least made an inquiry, as just about every team surely did this summer while Oklahoma City stared down the dilemma over whether to grant Harden an extension.
- The numbers show top pick Anthony Davis has played more efficiently than any other 2012 lottery selection, and he credits some of that success to the mentorship of Ryan Anderson, as Jim Eichenhofer of Hornets.com tweets.
Odds & Ends: Knicks, Harden, Terry, Draft
The latest news and notes from around the NBA on Wednesday night:
- Al Iannazzone of Newsday.com writes that Mike Woodson has been more successful at coaching Carmelo Anthony than Mike D'Antoni was.
- James Harden was indifferent in his reaction to reports that the Wizards had rejected an offer from the Thunder to send him to Washington.
- Jason Terry did not rule out a return to the Mavericks later in his career, writes Chris Forsberg of ESPNBoston.com.
- ESPN.com's Chad Ford took a variety of questions from fans relating to the 2013 NBA Draft in a live chat.
- SNY.com's Adam Zagoria reports that Jabari Parker, the second-rated prospect of the 2014 Draft, is down to Duke and Michigan State in his choice of colleges.
- Chris Broussard of ESPN.com reports that John Wall will have his knee re-examined on Friday.
- Sam Amico of FoxSportsOhio.com writes that youth is not an excuse for the Cavs' poor play.
- D.J. Augustin has been a disappointment since signing with the Pacers this summer.
- Sean Michael Meager of the Oregonian has an interview with Trail Blazers rookie Will Barton about his recent D-League assignment and the adjustment from college to the NBA.
- Brandon Jennings was perhaps the best player up for a rookie-scale extension who didn't get one, but he's drawing comparisons to Chris Paul and Mike Conley from Bucks coach Scott Skiles for his play this season, as Charles F. Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel documents.
- Stephen Curry is feeling happy with his level of play this season and is not disappointed with his contract extension, he tells Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports.
Western Notes: Mayo, Rockets, Nuggets, Bayless
Although the Lakers are receiving all the headlines and attention for their slow start this season, another team expected to be a contender in the West has had its own struggles so far, without the injuries or coaching turnover that the Lakers have. The Nuggets pulled their record to .500 last night, however, with a solid win in Detroit, while the Lakers continued to slide, losing to Kyrie Irving and the Cavs in Cleveland. As the Nuggets prepare to play in Minnesota tonight and the Lakers head to New York for a Thursday night TNT showdown with the Knicks, let's round up a few other updates out of the Western Conference:
- "Your odds of winning the Powerball lottery are better" than the odds of O.J. Mayo exercising his $4.2MM player option with the Mavericks next season, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPNDallas.com. However, that doesn't mean Mayo won't be a core piece in Dallas going forward.
- Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle looks at how offseason acquisitions James Harden and Jeremy Lin are fitting together with the Rockets.
- Although the Nuggets are off to a slow start this season, the front office continues to express complete confidence in the current roster, Danilo Gallinari tells Lang Greene of HoopsWorld. Gallinari singled out the Nuggets' extension for Ty Lawson as a confidence-booster for the entire team: "Especially with a player like Ty who is going to play with the Nuggets for a long time. For all of his career. It was very important for us because he’s a great guy and I thought our front office did a very good move in giving him a long contract."
- Within Greene's piece, the HoopsWorld scribe also details how Jerryd Bayless has been making a strong impression with the Grizzlies after signing a two-year deal this summer. Bayless will have the opportunity to opt out and become an unrestricted free agent again at season's end.
- While Virginia Beach City Council voted to continue pursuing a new arena, council members seem to recognize that the current proposal includes too much public money, writes Dale Kasler of the Sacramento Bee.
Wizards Turned Down Trade For James Harden
Wizards owner Ted Leonsis didn't want to commit a five-year maximum-salary contract to James Harden, so the team turned down an offer of Harden for Bradley Beal and Chris Singleton, according to Michael Lee of The Washington Post. One Wizards official, who disputes that such a proposal was ever on the table, said the Thunder were also seeking an established player of the caliber the Wizards don't possess, Lee adds.
The Thunder reportedly had interest in trading up to take Beal right before the draft, but didn't want to part with Harden. Lee notes that the proposal including Harden was made two months after the draft, when the Wizards made Beal the third overall pick. An NBA executive pointed out to Lee that teams are much more reticent to give up recently drafted players than they are draft picks.
The revelation of this would-be deal surely isn't welcome news for Wizards fans, who've watched their team stumble to a 2-15 start. As Lee details, the Wizards would likely have become a taxpaying team if they had committed a max deal to Harden as the Rockets did after the Thunder traded him to Houston on the eve of the season. With stiffer tax penalties kicking in by 2014, it makes it easier to understand why Leonsis put the brakes on a Harden trade, but with John Wall's value seemingly declining each day he misses with a left patella injury, it's worth wondering if the team might have been better off committing to Harden and letting Wall walk as a restricted free agent in the summer of 2014.
Beal is off to a slow start, shooting just 34.9% in his first 17 NBA games, and Singleton, the 18th pick in 2011, is averaging just 5.6 points and 3.9 rebounds in 18.7 minutes per game this year, so the Thunder appear to be much better off with the package they got from the Rockets that's centered around Kevin Martin. I'd have to think there's some legitimacy to the statement by the Wizards executive who said the Thunder were looking for something more in a deal with Washington. And the Rockets are assuredly glad they wound up with Harden, who's averaging 24.7 points, 5.6 assists and 4.4 rebounds per game this year, all career highs.