Odds & Ends: Heat, Harden, Gasol, Lakers
Whether you love or hate the Heat, you should appreciate the team while it's still in place, writes Ian Thomsen of SportsIllustrated.com. In 2014/15, the "repeater" tax will kick in and bring the most severe financial penalties for high-payroll teams that the league has ever seen. One rival GM predicted that owner Micky Arison will have to break up the big three of LeBron James, Dwayne Wade, and Chris Bosh before that happens. More from around the Association..
- Rockets star James Harden told KGOW in Houston that he's already working towards recruiting another elite player, writes Steven Cuce of Sports Radio Interviews. “One player is not going to win a championship. Nowadays you need two or maybe more. I’ve definitely started the recruiting process. We need more guys to come over here, so we can win. For right now we are going to stick with the players we have and try to run with that,” Harden said.
- Pau Gasol's trade value is falling, one GM who previously had interest in the Lakers forward tells Chris Broussard of ESPN.com (via Twitter). "Now you have to wonder if some of his performance issues are knee-related," said the GM.
- The Lakers were right to turn down offers from Gasol from the Raptors and T'Wolves, writes Dan Devine of Yahoo Sports. Minnesota reportedly pitched former No. 2 overall pick Derrick Williams and center Nikola Pekovic while Toronto's package centers around Andrea Bargnani.
- Chris Sheridan of SheridanHoops.com (video link) looks at a few trade candidates around the league including Jazz big man Al Jefferson.
Odds & Ends: Maggette, Pargo, Harden, Kapono
Although he only turned 33 years old earlier this month, Corey Maggette has been around the NBA for a long time, having made his debut back in 1999. With his contract set to expire next summer, Maggette was non-committal about what his immediate future may hold, says David Mayo of MLive.com.
"Who knows what will happen? Who knows? I might be a guy that might be in a front-office position," Maggette said. "I'm already preparing myself for that as I finish this career. The biggest thing is to worry about what's going on now and let the future take care of itself. We don't even know if we're going to wake up tomorrow."
While I'd be surprised if Maggette retired as a player next year, it seems he's already considering the next stage of his career, having spoken to Pistons GM Joe Dumars and assistant GM George David about the paths they took to their current jobs. Here are a few more odds and ends as we prepare for a light Thursday evening NBA schedule:
- Speaking to USA Today's Sam Amick about his extension negotiations with the Thunder and the trade that sent him to the Rockets, James Harden says the final offer he got from Oklahoma City was for four years and $53MM.
- Jannero Pargo is on top of "several NBA teams' radars," Pargo's agent Mark Bartelstein tells Shams Charania of RealGM.com (Twitter link). Considering the source of the info, it's not clear how much stock we should put in it, but Pargo was recently said to be drawing interest from the Bulls and others, and is hoping to get a deal done soon.
- Jason Kapono, whose agreement with Panathinaikos has been on hold, is expected to join the Greek team on December 10th, according to a Gazzetta.gr report (English translation via Sportando).
- Thunder coach Scott Brooks thinks Jeremy Lamb's D-League assignment is a great opportunity for the rookie to earn some playing time, according to Darnell Mayberry of the Oklahoman. "He's going to get great work on the practice floor and game floor," Brooks said. "But we like what he does. He has a very high skill set. He definitely needs to continue to develop his body and his game, but that’s a great position for him to be in."
- If you're curious about which D-League players may be in line for a shot from an NBA team in the coming weeks, keep an eye on four players Ryan Ripley of Ridiculous Upside identifies as hot starters.
- Offseason signee Randy Foye has found a home in the starting lineup for the Jazz, as Bill Oram of The Salt Lake Tribune chronicles.
James Harden Links: Martin, Thunder, Rockets
One of the most intriguing games on tonight's NBA schedule sees James Harden and the Rockets, coming off a Tuesday win over the Raptors, heading to Oklahoma City to face the Thunder. It was just a month ago that the two teams finalized the shocking trade that sent Harden to Houston, so plenty is being written today about that deal and the Sixth Man of the Year's return to OKC. Here are a few stories of note:
- Harden downplayed tonight's contest, calling it "just another game," as Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle writes. However, Daequan Cook, who changed teams along with Harden in last month's deal, thinks the Rockets' star cares more than he lets on: "I know this game means a lot to him. He’s going to want to play his best basketball. This game means so much right now to him. You’re going to see a different mindset with him."
- Kevin Martin has been a servicable replacement for Harden in Oklahoma City, but it's not clear how the team plans to replace that production when Martin's contract expires next summer, says ESPN.com's John Hollinger (Insider link). Hollinger's also wonders how the Thunder would have proceeded if Harden had accepted their $54MM extension offer, since even that non-maximum salary would have put the team well into luxury-tax territory next year.
- ESPN.com's Brian Windhorst looks at how the Thunder have adjusted to losing Harden, with Kevin Durant noting that the club's "chemistry is getting better each day."
- While the Thunder have played well without Harden, the team misses his pick-and-roll ability, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News.
- Both ESPN.com and The Oklahoman surveyed several writers on burning questions relating to the Harden trade, including whether dealing him was the right move and whether Russell Westbrook or Harden will be the better player in the long-term.
Stein On Gasol, Hawks, Smith, Frank, Harden
Leading off his Weekend Dime piece at ESPN.com, Marc Stein follows up on yesterday's tweet about the possibility of the Hornets and Matt Carroll reaching a buyout agreement. According to Stein, New Orleans "immediately commenced" buyout talks with Carroll upon acquiring him, meaning the ex-Bobcat should be on the open market soon. Here are the other highlights from Stein's Weekend Dime:
- While some pundits, including Grantland's Bill Simmons, continue to speculate about the Lakers trading Pau Gasol to the Hawks, Atlanta has no interest in sending Josh Smith to Los Angeles in a deal for Gasol, says Stein. The Hawks have "not been in enticed in the least" by the prospect of moving Smith, and are telling interested teams that they value the 26-year-old highly.
- Atlanta's stance doesn't mean that the Lakers haven't spoken internally about the possibility of making a run at Smith, adds Stein. But it looks like an unlikely fit unless another team or two gets involved.
- Even if the Pistons hadn't snapped a winless streak that saw them open the season 0-8, head coach Lawrence Frank likely wouldn't have been in immediate danger, according to Stein. Detroit views this season as a developmental one for its young core, and player development is considered one of Frank's strengths.
- Stein also passes along details on the final year of James Harden's max contract, via Mark Deeks of ShamSports. As we heard earlier this week, that fifth year is only 50% guaranteed. However, it would become fully guaranteed if Harden makes even one All-Star team from 2013/14 to 2016/17. There are other conditions related to personal statistical benchmarks and the Rockets' postseason performance that would also guarantee that final year for Harden. You can check out the complete details at ShamSports.
Western Notes: Rockets, Lakers, Clippers, Harden
When Hoops Rumors unveiled its predictions for this season, all of us picked either the Lakers, Thunder or Spurs to come out of the Western Conference, and tonight two of those teams clash as the Spurs look to down the Lakers and run their early-season record to 2-0 against other Western contenders. The Spurs were a conference-best 6-1 coming into tonight, their only blemish a loss to the Clippers, who would love to leapfrog their L.A. rivals into the contending group. Here's the latest on the Tinseltown rivalry and other items out of the West.
- Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald lays the blame for Royce White's latest absence on Rockets executives, tweeting that the team is led by "a bush league front office without a soul."
- The notion that Phil Jackson will wind up with the Clippers is a "conspiracy theory you can expect to now hear a zillion times this season," tweets Marc Stein of ESPN.com, though sources tell Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports that the rise of the Clippers played a role in the Lakers' decision to fire Mike Brown.
- Rockets owner Leslie Alexander hopes new star James Harden will attract others to Houston, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. “I know it helps," Alexander said. "Even in the brief time I’ve been around him, he always talks, I just spoke to that guy, I just spoke to that guy. He speaks to a lot of major players in the league. It’s a big plus. How big, you really don’t know.”
- Perry Jones III admits he isn't as comfortable now as he was in the preseason, but Thunder coach Scott Brooks isn't alarmed by the rookie's subpar performance in his limited regular season minutes, as The Oklahoman's Darnell Mayberry chronicles.
- Mavs coach Rick Carlisle is "very pleased" with what he's seen out of recent signee Troy Murphy so far, observes Dwain Price of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Western Notes: Harden, McMillan, Jackson, Wolves
Less than two weeks into the NBA season, the Association's two biggest stories so far have come from two teams expected to compete for the Western Conference crown — the Thunder's trade of James Harden, and the Lakers' coaching change. We have updates on both Harden and the new Lakers coach, along with a few other notes out of the West, so let's check them out:
- The final year of Harden's max-salary deal with the Rockets is only 50% guaranteed, according to Mark Deeks of ShamSports (via Twitter). However, Deeks adds in a second tweet that there are a number of conditions Harden could meet to ensure it becomes fully guaranteed.
- Mike D'Antoni is expected to reach out to Nate McMillan to offer him a spot as defensive assistant on his Lakers staff, reports Ken Berger of CBS Sports (via Twitter).
- According to Sam Amico of FOX Sports Ohio (Twitter link), people around the NBA expect Phil Jackson to take a job within the next year, since he's interested in returning if a team can meet his demands.
- Wesley Johnson spoke to Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld about adjusting to a new situation in Phoenix, and the Suns' prospects for the 2012/13 season.
- With Chase Budinger set for knee surgery, the Timberwolves could ask the league for an injury exception to add a player without cutting anyone, but it doesn't appear they will, tweets Jerry Zgoda of the Star Tribune.
Wolves Rumors: Harden, Williams, Barea, Ridnour
Darren Wolfson of 1500 ESPN Twin Cities shares a number of interesting tidbits related to the Timberwolves in his latest Scoops piece, so let's dive right in and check out the highlights….
- Wolfson hears from T-Wolves sources that Minnesota made a few calls on James Harden, and would have been willing to part with Derrick Williams, future first-round picks, and more. However, since the Thunder weren't all that interested in dealing within the division and had a strong offer from the Rockets, talks between the Wolves and OKC never got serious.
- Williams, J.J. Barea, and Luke Ridnour are considered potential trade candidates, but the Wolves aren't engaged in any discussions now. Wolfson says that dialogue could pick up once the team has 15 games under its belt.
- Owner Glen Taylor expects injured stars Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio to return in early December and mid-December, respectively.
- Taylor also addressed the possibility of selling the franchise, telling Wolfson he may "get a deal within this year." However, Taylor added that he anticipates remaining with the organization for five or six years, slowly transitioning from majority to minority owner.
- R.J. Adelman, Minnesota's director of personnel, likes Mickael Pietrus, but the veteran wing is still not open to signing for the minimum, which means he's out of the Wolves' price range.
Odds & Ends: Harden, ’13 Draft, Nuggets, Hudson
As we prepare for a jam-packed night of NBA games, with all but four teams in action, let's round up a few of today's links that have fallen through the cracks until now….
- John Rohde of the Oklahoman calls out James Harden for comments he made to Yahoo! Sports about being disappointed that the Thunder only gave him an hour to consider their final extension offer.
- We're still about seven and a half months from 2013's NBA draft, but that didn't stop Jeff Goodman of CBS Sports from updating his board with his latest mock draft.
- Another draft guru, ESPN.com's Chad Ford, fielded readers' questions about college prospects and NBA storylines in a chat this afternoon.
- Losing three-point threats like Arron Afflalo, Al Harrington, and Rudy Fernandez could be one factor contributing to the Nuggets' poor start, writes John Hollinger in an Insider piece at ESPN.com.
- Gino Pilato of Ridiculous Upside examines Troy Hudson's NBA comeback attempt, which sees the 36-year-old headed to camp with the D-League's Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Harden Wanted More Time To Weigh Thunder Offer
After James Harden was traded to the Rockets by the Thunder a week and a half ago, we heard that the Thunder had made one final extension offer to Harden, giving him an hour to make a decision. Harden requested an extra couple days to consider the offer, but GM Sam Presti, who wanted to give the Rockets a chance to negotiate their own extension with Harden prior to last Wednesday's deadline, stuck to his deadline and sent the Sixth Man of the Year to Houston.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports, that ultimatum didn't sit well with Harden, who was upset that Oklahoma City didn't give him more than 60 minutes to make the career-altering decision.
"After everything we established – everything we had done – you give me an hour?" Harden told Wojnarowski. "This was one of the biggest decisions of my life. I wanted to go home and pray about it. It hurt me. It hurt."
The Thunder's final offer to Harden was a four-year deal worth $54MM, according to Wojnarowski. Various outlets have reported that amount differently, anywhere from $53MM to $56MM, but by all accounts, it was a few million below the maximum salary Oklahoma City could have offered. Asked if he would have accepted that offer if he'd had more time, Harden replied, "Who knows? Another day, who knows what another day would've done?"
While Harden's exit from Oklahoma City didn't play out in ideal fashion, the 23-year-old is looking to make the most of his opportunity in Houston. Not only did he receive a five-year, maximum-salary extension from the Rockets, but he's also been given the chance to be the team's go-to player, a role he's thrived in so far, as Tom Haberstroh writes in an Insider piece for ESPN.com.
"I was there with talented guys in Oklahoma City, some All-Star guys, and I would've been in the back seat there – which I was fine with – but I wouldn't have gotten the chance to show how talented I really am," Harden said. "It's a different opportunity for me here."
Odds & Ends: Harden, Bradley, Suns
In a column by Adrian Wojnarowski, the Yahoo! sports scribe writes that the Rockets are already James Harden's team. How Harden reacts to being a leader could dictate where the franchise goes from here, according to Wojnarowski. Here are a few more odds and ends from around the league:
- Celtics guard Avery Bradley is on schedule to return to the team in six weeks after undergoing surgery on both shoulders in the offseason, writes the Boston Herald's Steve Bulpett.
- On SheridanHoops.com, Jan Hubbard writes that the Suns have a questionable future with no superstar on their roster.
- South Florida Sun Sentinel's Ira Winderman reports that Heat second round pick Jarvis Varnado is in the D-League, and the team has lost his rights.
- Hoopsworld.com looks at some underrated offseason acquisitions.
- The Washington Post's Michael Lee gives a closer look at the importance of 2014, and what it means for the NBA.